After the Algerian military's final assault on terrorists holding hostages at a gas complex, the four-day hostage crisis is over, but apparently with additional loss of life among the foreign hostages. The Japanese fear "very grave" news, and multiple casualties from among the 10 citizens working at the In Amenas gas plant are feared. Five British nationals and one UK civilian are either deceased or unaccounted for in the country according British Foreign Minister William Hague. ABC News The State Department has confirmed that... View Full Size Growing Al Qaeda Threat in Africa Watch Video Inside Algerian Hostage Crisis, One American Dead Watch Video American Hostages Escape From Algeria Terrorists Watch Video According to state media, 29 militants are dead. Many of the remaining hostages appear to have been freed safely, with some accounts saying 16 have been rescued. Media reports also say that a total of 19 hostages have died during the Algerian military's assaults on the al Qaeda-linked terrorists who took over the BP joint venture facility on Wednesday. One American, Fred Buttaccio of Texas, has been confirmed dead by the US State Department. But another American, Mark Cobb of Corpus Christi, Texas is now confirmed as safe. Sources close to his family say Cobb, who is a senior manager of the BP facility, is safe and reportedly sent a text message " I'm alive." Two more US hostages remain unaccounted for, with growing concern among US officials that they did not survive.

• published: 19 Jan 2013
• author: Afrodailynews1