Militants who attacked a natural gas facility in eastern Algeria took as many as 40 people hostage, including three Americans as retaliation for France's intervention in neighboring Mali. NBC's Rohit Kachroo reports.By Lamine Chikhi and Bate Felix, ReutersALGIERS, Algeria -- Fifteen hostages were reported Thursday to have escaped from Islamist fighters who claimed to be holding 41 foreign nationals after taking over a gas plant in the Algerian desert.
U.S. officials said Wednesday that three Americans were among the hostages, but the report of the escape by Algerian television did not make clear whether they were among those who managed to flee.
Mauritania's ANI news agency reported that one of the kidnappers had claimed two Algerian army helicopters attacked the gas complex, injuring two of the Japanese hostages. It was not possible to independently verify the report, Reuters said. ANI has close contacts with the al-Qaida-linked group that has claimed responsibility for the mass kidnapping.
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