Gas plant workers from 10 countries, including the U.S., were taken hostage by Islamists retaliating for France's offensive in Mali. The toll varies wildly, but at least 12 are believed dead.
French troops drive through Mali's capital.
Image by Jerome Delay, File / AP
At midnight on Wednesday, an Islamist group — believed to be calling themselves the "Signatories for Blood" — took dozens of Algerians and foreign workers hostage at the In Amenas Gas Project in Algeria (near the Libyan border) in retaliation to the French offensive in Mali. The gas complex is operated by 700 employees from Britain's BP, Norway's Statoil and Algeria's Sonatrach.
On Thursday, Algerian troops launched strikes on the gas complex where the hostages were held. Chaos ensued.
The gas complex in Algeria.
Image by Digitalglobe / Reuters
Midnight: Militants storm the In Amenas gas field complex.
11:15 a.m.: The group responsible for the raid talks to Mauritanian press, claiming to have captured 41 foreign workers, including seven Americans. A spokesman confirms that the hostages were taken in response to Algeria allowing France to use its air space for the attacks in Mali.
