deadly hostage crisis

	deadly hostage crisis After three days of chaos, drama and an unknown number of deaths, Algerian special forces troops were holding their fire Saturday in the hostage crisis at a gas facility in the nation's remote eastern desert. Survivors described harrowing escapes from Islamic militants who attacked the site early Wednesday. Some invented disguises, others sneaked to safety with locals, and at least one ran for his life with plastic explosives strapped around his neck. Yet others didn't make it -- either because they were killed or were still being held. Algerian troops staged a military offensive that some nations criticized as endangering the lives of the hostages. On Friday evening, they were trying a different tack, the state-run Algerian Press Service reported. "The special forces ... are still seeking a peaceful settlement before neutralizing the terrorist group currently entrenched in the refinery, and free a group of hostages who are still detained," it said. It was not clear how many hostages were seized by the Islamist militants and how many were being held. Thursday's military operation ended with 650 hostages -- including 100 foreigners -- freed, while at least 12 Algerian and foreign workers were killed, the Algerian Press Service reported in what it said was a "provisional toll." In addition, 18 of the attackers were "neutralized," APS said. The dead include one American, identified as Frederick Buttaccio, US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said, as well as one <b>...</b>	From: BossNews13 Views: 3 0 ratings
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