FARK.com: (7540553) 35 hostages killed in botched operation in Algeria

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		35 hostages killed in botched operation in Algeria (aljazeera.com)		287
		More: NewsFlash, Algeria, gasfields, Algerian, hostages, French citizens, Al Jazeera, kidnappers

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32272 clicks; posted to Main » on 17 Jan 2013 at 11:06 AM | Favorite | share:

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gunsmack		2013-01-17 11:08:28 AM

'killed' ?

Shrapnel		2013-01-17 11:08:34 AM

Reload from save point?

/sorry

Allen. The end.		2013-01-17 11:08:42 AM

I understand the need for corporations to drain natural resources from central Africa, but DAMN! I mean, it's sub-Saharan Africa! Is this really unexpected?

HaywoodJablonski		2013-01-17 11:08:42 AM

Gun control. Now.

styckx		2013-01-17 11:08:56 AM

Shrapnel: Reload from save point?

/sorry

I lol'ed

rmz		2013-01-17 11:09:39 AM

Thanks, Obama.

In all seriousness, though, god damn it. That's really unfortunate. :(

Jeremysbrain		2013-01-17 11:09:44 AM

Reuters is saying only 6 were killed.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/17/us-sahara-crisis-idUSBRE90F 1 JJ20130117

texdent		2013-01-17 11:09:45 AM

The Singing Bush		2013-01-17 11:10:09 AM

I'm sure this is all Obama's fault.

StrikitRich		2013-01-17 11:10:25 AM

35 hostages and only 15 terrorists killed? Was Jimmy Carter in command of Spetznz troops?

Solid State Vittles		2013-01-17 11:10:37 AM

So, two Britons, a Frenchman, a Kenyan, and an Irishman walk out of an Algerian gas field...

WTF Indeed		2013-01-17 11:10:52 AM

Well at least Algeria is easier to spell than Benghazi.

cgraves67		2013-01-17 11:10:57 AM

They still have some hostages it seems. So the question is: Seal Team 6 or drop a bomb and send your heartfelt condolensces to the families. Don't negotiate with these scum.

Evil Mackerel		2013-01-17 11:11:14 AM

The machine never stops, not for me, not for you.....

thisdaydreamer		2013-01-17 11:11:39 AM

Damn damn damn. I was so hoping this would turn out better.

Lane83		2013-01-17 11:11:58 AM

The Singing Bush: I'm sure this is all Obama's fault.

If only he had approved requests for more security from BP and called this a terrorist act instead of a hostage situation, Jesus wouldn't have let these brave foreigners di... Oh wait, I'm being told that this is God's punishment to them for being socialists. Carry on.

Starhawk		2013-01-17 11:12:01 AM

lumiere		2013-01-17 11:12:02 AM

This is the reason the Algerians took their sweet time in supporting the rebels during Libya's Arab Spring. The borders were never secure, so now we have a bunch of backward Muslim fanatics running around with a huge arsenal of weapons and crazy bastardized versions of their own Sharia law they want to implement. The French botched the rescue mission in Mali and what's happening in Algeria is pure and simple blowback.

mgshamster		2013-01-17 11:12:50 AM

FTA: Algerian media, citing officials, reported that 15 foreigners and 30 Algerians had managed to escape.

FTA: ANI, which has been in constant contact with the al-Qaeda-affiliated kidnappers, said seven hostages were still being held: two Americans, three Belgians, one Japanese and one British citizen.

Looks like about 45 people managed to get out, and 7 are still being held captive.

pute kisses like a man		2013-01-17 11:12:53 AM

Allen. The end.: I understand the need for corporations to drain natural resources from central Africa, but DAMN! I mean, it's sub-Saharan Africa! Is this really unexpected?

i don't know if that's an accurate description.

somedude210		2013-01-17 11:12:56 AM

Shrapnel: Reload from save point?

/sorry

Bravo, sir

The Singing Bush		2013-01-17 11:13:09 AM

rmz: Thanks, Obama.

30 seconds

*shakes fist*

HeWhoHasNoName		2013-01-17 11:13:21 AM

Should have made the area a Gun Free Zone.

make me some tea		2013-01-17 11:13:23 AM

Okay so earlier this morning NPR reported that the hostages had escaped, and BBC was reporting that it's unclear what has happened (9am EST).

According to TFA: "Thirty-four hostages and 15 kidnappers have been killed in southern Algeria, according to the group holding the hostages."

Sooo, which is it?

neversubmit		2013-01-17 11:13:57 AM

See what happens when the French don't surrender.

factoryconnection		2013-01-17 11:14:08 AM

So the terrorists lost their leader and all their fighters in the operation after murdering a bunch of gas-plant workers and threatening governments with more murders? I'm deeply saddened for the murder victims, all of whose deaths are the fault of the terrorists, but I don't think the terrorist group gets to blame anyone for hostage deaths but themselves.

"Really, if you'd just have let us roll on out of here, they would have been totally safe and definitely not murdered on video to be uploaded to YouTube as a bargaining chip. Really!"

MightyPez		2013-01-17 11:14:10 AM

gunsmack: 'killed' ?

This was my immediate thought:

farm1.staticflickr.com

Killface: Why does it say welcome to you are doom? What does that even mean? And why for god sake is doom in quotes?
Valerie: I don't know.
Killface: Is it some sort of ironic doom? Is the wink implied?

Mosox42		2013-01-17 11:14:28 AM

Pop quiz hot shot

nekom		2013-01-17 11:14:28 AM

make me some tea: Okay so earlier this morning NPR reported that the hostages had escaped, and BBC was reporting that it's unclear what has happened (9am EST).

According to TFA: "Thirty-four hostages and 15 kidnappers have been killed in southern Algeria, according to the group holding the hostages."

Sooo, which is it?

I've seen the number 45 thrown around as the total number of hostages. Maybe some escaped, and the rest were killed?

Pathman		2013-01-17 11:15:20 AM

gunsmack: 'killed' ?

that's what i was scratching my head about too

mgshamster		2013-01-17 11:15:54 AM

make me some tea: Okay so earlier this morning NPR reported that the hostages had escaped, and BBC was reporting that it's unclear what has happened (9am EST).

According to TFA: "Thirty-four hostages and 15 kidnappers have been killed in southern Algeria, according to the group holding the hostages."

Sooo, which is it?

According to the article, 45 people managed to escape, 49 people have been killed, and 7 are still held captive.

Galloping Galoshes		2013-01-17 11:16:08 AM

cgraves67: They still have some hostages it seems. So the question is: Seal Team 6 or drop a bomb and send your heartfelt condolensces to the families. Don't negotiate with these scum.

That's one way to avoid hostage situations. Cold, but effective.

Poopspasm		2013-01-17 11:16:09 AM

Well, fark.

factoryconnection		2013-01-17 11:16:11 AM

I should have also added that this is the ultra-early stages of a major international incident, and any "details" we get at this point are sketchy at best.

theurge14		2013-01-17 11:16:45 AM

Some people have bad gas, some people want gas badly.

vernonFL		2013-01-17 11:16:48 AM

It is sad, but at least they didn't negotiate. If we have to send a message, at least its "your terrorist operation wasn't successful"

netcentric		2013-01-17 11:16:55 AM

We better not take news sources too seriously, they often get it wrong.

We should wait till we hear information from the US State Dept.

They will know what is going on....

Beerguy		2013-01-17 11:17:25 AM

The Singing Bush: rmz: Thanks, Obama.

30 seconds

*shakes fist*

I guess I missed the part where it says that U.S. forces were involved. I will have to read it again I suppose.

PirateKing		2013-01-17 11:17:29 AM

Damn.

Bit'O'Gristle		2013-01-17 11:17:44 AM

cgraves67: They still have some hostages it seems. So the question is: Seal Team 6 or drop a bomb and send your heartfelt condolensces to the families. Don't negotiate with these scum.

/Sad, but you're right. They were probably going to kill them anyway. The government wont negotiate with scumbag terrorists.

TomD9938		2013-01-17 11:18:01 AM

WippitGuud		2013-01-17 11:18:30 AM

If violent games have taught me anything, it's that: as long as half of the hostages make is back to the cap point...

Counter Terrorists win.

mgshamster		2013-01-17 11:18:34 AM

mgshamster: make me some tea: Okay so earlier this morning NPR reported that the hostages had escaped, and BBC was reporting that it's unclear what has happened (9am EST).

According to TFA: "Thirty-four hostages and 15 kidnappers have been killed in southern Algeria, according to the group holding the hostages."

Sooo, which is it?

According to the article, 45 people managed to escape, 49 people have been killed, and 7 are still held captive.

I should add: Article also says there were 20 assailants. That means there are 5 left still holding the 7 captive, if all is accurate.

/That's a big if
//Early stages, likely a lot of inaccurate reporting

maxheck		2013-01-17 11:18:45 AM

The Singing Bush:

I'm sure this is all Obama's fault.

Is Algeria a scandal yet?

TheOther		2013-01-17 11:18:54 AM

...Algerian government helicopter attack on a convoy transporting hostages and kidnappers.

I'm down with 'First, shoot the hostages' but blasting away from helicopters is pretty hardcore. Since there are still some hostages and kidnappers, is France going to nuke them from orbit?

maxximillian		2013-01-17 11:19:16 AM

factoryconnection: So the terrorists lost their leader and all their fighters in the operation after murdering a bunch of gas-plant workers and threatening governments with more murders? I'm deeply saddened for the murder victims, all of whose deaths are the fault of the terrorists, but I don't think the terrorist group gets to blame anyone for hostage deaths but themselves.

"Really, if you'd just have let us roll on out of here, they would have been totally safe and definitely not murdered on video to be uploaded to YouTube as a bargaining chip. Really!"

I don't get the whole calling it a botched rescue. These things don't always have a happy ending. Saying it was botched makes it seem like it was the rescuers fault when it was the terrorists fault who took them hostage in the first place.

Persnickety		2013-01-17 11:19:52 AM

An armed society is a polite society

ringersol		2013-01-17 11:20:11 AM

So they just decided to send a helicopter gunship after a random convoy leaving the militant compound?
Is that on the assumption that the militants are too stupid to take their human shields *with them* as they move about?
Or simply not caring and/or considering whether they might?

UNC_Samurai		2013-01-17 11:20:14 AM

According to a Mauritanian news source, the Algerians attacked the hostage site with helicopters. Does this mean the hostages were killed in the crossfire, or were they executed as retaliation for the attack?

The only combat helicopters in the Algerian Air Force are Mi-24s. Looks like HINDsight is not 20-20.