Algeria says rescue complete, toll still unknown

The Algerian army has wrapped up its operation to free hostages from a gasfield but a lack of information has raised concern at home and abroad about the fate of those held.

According to Algeria’s official news agency APS, the troops freed 600 Algerian workers and four westerners, including two Scots, a Kenyan and a Frenchman.

At least 41 foreigners were said to have been captured by an armed group of militants. Authorities in the United States, Algeria, Norway, Japan and Ireland confirmed their nationals were among those held captive at the facility in the southernmost province of Illizi,according to Xinhua.

Algerian Minister of Communication Mohamed Said Oubelaid said late Thursday there were deaths and injuries among the hostages during the rescue operation. However, he did not given any numbers.

“We’re certainly concerned about reports of loss of life and are seeking clarity from the government of Algeria,” White House spokesman Jay Carney said at a regular news briefing in Washington, adding he had no more details about the situation.

U.S. President Barrack Obama also discussed the situation with British Prime Minister David Cameron in a phone conversation, the White House said in a statement.

Cameron canceled a key speech on European policy to monitor the Algerian hostage crisis. “It is a very dangerous, very uncertain, a very fluid situation, and I think we have to prepare for the possibility of bad news ahead,” the British PM said.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe cut short his trip in Southeast Asia due to the hostage crisis in Algeria.

Japan’s Foreign Ministry also summoned Algerian ambassador Sid Ali Ketrandji in a bid for information on the rescue operation.

” Japanese engineering firm JGC Corp said three of its employees, who were working at the gasfield, had been confirmed safe but 14 others remained unaccounted for.

A Philippine government spokesman said Friday 34 Filipinos working at the site had been flown out of the country, and another Filipino worker escaped on his own along with a Japanese national.

The gasfield involved is jointly operated by Norwegian state energy company Statoil, Britain’s BP and Algeria’s national oil company.

R.S