Breaking News : 35 Hostages Dead in Algerian Helicopter Attack

	Breaking News : 35 Hostages Dead in Algerian Helicopter Attack ALGIERS, ALGERIA The hostage situation in an Algerian natural gas complex appeared to reach a dangerous crescendo Thursday, with Islamic militants claiming that Algerian helicopter attacks left 35 hostages and 15 captors dead, according to the Associated Press. Islamists with the Masked Brigade, who have been speaking through a Mauritanian news outlet, said according to the AP that seven hostages were still alive Thursday, including three Belgians, two Americans, a Briton and a Japanese citizen. There was no official confirmation from US or other governments involved on the emerging details. The British Foreign Office did confirm that they were aware of an "ongoing military operation." France also confirmed an attack was under way. Meanwhile, an unarmed American Predator drone arrived over the vast energy complex late Thursday afternoon local time, giving the US its first independent look at the situation, CBS News national security correspondent David Martin reports. A spokesman for the Masked Brigade said according to the AP that the Algerians opened fire as the militants tried to leave the gas plant with their hostages a day after seizing the installation deep in the desert. The information came from the Nouakchott Information Agency, which has often carried reports from al Qaeda-linked extremist groups in North Africa. A diplomatic source confirmed to CBS News that the Algerian military had a plan to retake the facility and that there had been casualties among both <b>...</b>	From: TheBrotherReaper Views: 282 1 ratings
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