At Least 37 Hostages at Algerian Complex Confirmed Dead
The Algerian prime minister said several workers who died have yet to be identified, and British Prime Minister David Cameron said six Britons and another resident of Britain did not survive the incident.
The number of workers and militant attackers confirmed dead at the In Amenas natural gas facility in Algeria has risen to 81, with at least 37 of them being workers who were taken hostage, Algeria's prime minister announced. The militants attacked on Jan. 16, and Algerian forces mounted an assault that ended it Jan. 19. The militant group is reportedly linked to al Qaeda.
The In Amenas gas field and its facilities are operated by a joint venture of the Algerian national oil company Sonatrach, BP, and Statoil, a Norwegian energy company. BP announced Jan. 20 that it has completed its plans to bring out non-essential staff from In Salah, Hassi Messaoud, and other locations, with more than 35 BP employees having flown out of Algeria as a precautionary measure. In its statement, BP said it is reviewing the security situation across the region, but it also said it "remains committed to operating in Algeria where it has high quality assets and has been present for over 60 years."
In Amenas is located about 60 kilometers west of the Libyan border. According to the statement, citizens of more than 25 countries work at the facility, which at any give time has a workforce of 500-700 people, most of whom are Algerian nationals working directly for the joint venture, Sonatrach, and contractors.