Algeria Army Kills 34 Hostages, 15 Kidnappers

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

An Algerian air strike killed 34 hostages, some of them Westerners, and 15 of their Islamist kidnappers at a desert gas field on Thursday, the ANI news agency quoted a spokesman for the kidnappers as saying.

"Thirty-four hostages and 15 kidnappers were killed in an (air) raid by the Algerian army," the spokesman said in remarks that have not been independently confirmed.

The source said Westerners were among the dead, but did not elaborate.

Also killed was Abu al-Baraa, who led the Wednesday operation in which 41 foreigners and scores of Algerians were seized.

The spokesman said Algerian aircraft attacked the kidnappers when they tried to "transport some of the hostages in vehicles to a location to the south."

The Algerian army was able to free four hostages later on Thursday, including two Britons, a Frenchman and a Kenyan, being held by Islamist gunmen at a remote gas plant in southeast Algeria, the APS news agency reported.

Comments 7
Missing ArabDemocrat.com 17 January 2013, 18:47

I would add ignorance, stupidity, fanaticism and sheer inhumanity.

Missing ramezg 17 January 2013, 18:49

I think there were much more than 41 hostages. Among them are 41 foreigners, but a number of Algerian hostages were also kidnapped. If I understand the article well, most hostages killed were Algerian. This said, any hostage's life is as precious as any other's. But it's not 34 out of 41. It is 34 out of maybe 100 or so.

Thumb geha 17 January 2013, 18:54

kidnappers, whoever they are, are terrorists, and should be dealt with extreme prejudice.
there will always be loss of innocent lives in such cases, but no one should give in to terrorism.
these terrorists took these people hostage to support their malian friends.

Default-user-icon Wutever (Guest) 17 January 2013, 21:29

This news item is unconfirmed.

Missing beirutbastard 18 January 2013, 02:16

I think they just wana end this and get the oil pumping again... The companies are probably losing millions. How much are ppl worth in the end.

N like Texas said, if this discourages more kidnapings, it's a win win for them.

Missing beirutbastard 18 January 2013, 02:35

Where do these ppl get weapons from??? Who makes em? Who sells em?

It's hard to wage a war without arms.

Missing beirutbastard 18 January 2013, 02:41

Also how do you get rid of them when the richest countries in the world (Saudi, Qatar) are funding them... And the ones tasked with getting rid of them (the west) are allies with and reliant to the countries funding them?

It's seems to me like there was a decisicion taken to keep a balance between warring sides around the world, only getting involved when one side might win. Maybe to keep arms selling, it's the most lucrative business in the world.