12 hostages dead, 30 still held at Algerian gas facility

Algiers - Twelve hostages have been killed at Algeria's In Amenas gas complex since the start of a raid meant to liberate them and 30 were still being held by terrorists linked to al-Qaeda, reports said Friday.

Algeria’s state APS news agency provided the information about the fatalities, quoting security sources. They added that the number of dead was a provisional figure. APS did not say how many of the dead were foreign nationals and how many were Algerians.

A 52-year-old retired French soldier was among the victims, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said. One US citizen also was killed, broadcaster NBC said, quoting a US official who said two Americans were still being held and two escaped.

The situation remained tense at the natural gas production complex in the Algerian desert. Aside from the US and Britain at least two other countries - Norway and Japan - have listed several nationals missing.//DPA