Algeria Crisis Death Toll
- January 25th, 2013
- Posted by EUEditor
The death toll from the desert terrorist attack at Tiguentourine in Algeria has grown to at least 81 as troops search through the wreckage of the natural gas complex taken hostage by Islamist militants over four days.
After Algerian forces ended the siege with a final assault on Saturday, they said they had located the bodies of 32 hostages and 23 of their captors.
In the following days they reported finding more bodies, and having trouble identifying them as “friend or foe†because of the extent of their injuries.
Journalists have used a compilation from mainly the Algerian official sources, together with some information from foreign governments checking on their nationals, to establish the following as a likely outcome of the tragic events:
Number of workers at the plant: at least 700, of whom 134 expatriates.
Number of expatriate workers known to have been killed: 58 including one who died from wounds after rescue.
Number of assailants killed: 23, with a small group, three, possibly five captured.
The foreign nationals were from several countries including Britain, Colombia, Japan, Malaysia , Norway, the Philippines, Romania and the United States.
Reports from their home governments indicated that by mid-week 15 were still unaccounted for, though possibly among those whose remains have been found but not yet identified. They included men from Britain, Japan, Malaysia, Norway and the Philippines.
Some of the Algerian workers who survived said the attackers who let them go, told them were looking for non-Muslims hostages.
An armed group believed to be affiliated with the al-Qa’ida movement raided the BP company plant on Wednesday (16.2.13), demanding the end of French military intervention in the neighbouring state of Mali.
See EUAustralia Online: “Algeria-Mali: Bloodshed and Fright …â€, 19.1.13; “Algeria killing fieldâ€, 20.1.13.
Reference
Al Jazeera, Doha, “Death toll climbs in Algeria hostage crisisâ€, 21.1.13. http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/01/20131208514862233.html, (25.1.13).
Amir Ahmed, “At least 37 hostages killed in Algeria gas plant standoff, prime minister saysâ€, CNN, Atlanta, 23.1.13. http://edition.cnn.com/2013/01/21/world/africa/algeria-hostage-crisis/index.html, (25.1.13).
VOA, Washington,“Algeria to Raise Death Toll From Islamist Siege at Gas Complexâ€, 21.1.13. http://www.voanews.com/content/algeria-to-raise-death-toll-from-islamist-siege-at-gas-complex/1587815.html, (25.1.13).