16/01/2013

NI Man Abducted By Algerian Militants

A Northern Irish man is among a group of foreigners abducted by Islamist militants in eastern Algeria.

Algerian security officials say one person has been killed and the rest abducted following an attack on a gas facility.

Islamist militants thought to be linked to Al-Qaeda say they carried out the attack.

The man from Northern Ireland is travelling on an Irish passport.

Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore has called for the man's immediate release.

"The government stands ready to use all the resources available to us to ensure that our citizen is released as soon as possible," he said.

"I would ask that the family be allowed privacy at this difficult time."

A statement from the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs said: "The consular assistance unit in the department is providing consular assistance to the family and are in close contact with its international partners and a wide range of other contacts in order to establish the facts of the situation. At this stage, the identity and motives of the kidnappers is unknown."

The British Foreign Office has confirmed its nationals have been working in the area where a "terrorist incident is ongoing".

The Algerian army has begun an operation to recover the hostages.

The gas field is a joint operation by BP, the Algerian state oil company Sonatrach and the Norwegian state energy firm, Statoil.

The attack follows the stationing of French troops in neighbouring Mali to remove Islamist militants.

French aircraft has been attacking targets in Mali since the militants’ uprising.

(IT)

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