Mali: Algeria hostage takers demand army pull out

Islamist extremists and three of 41 hostages they are holding at an Algerian gas field demanded Thursday, in interviews with Al-Jazeera, that the army withdraw from the site so that talks can begin.

“We demand the Algerian army pull out from the area to allow negotiations,” one of the kidnappers, identified as Abu al-Baraa, told the Doha-based satellite channel.

He also called for the release of Islamist extremists being held in neighbouring Mali. “Our detainees for their’s,” he said, adding that his group has “contacted our leadership in Mali.”

“This is a strong political message to Algeria regarding its intransigent stances towards the jihadists.”

Abu al-Baraa also told the channel that Algerian snipers had opened fire at the site where the hostages are being held, injuring a foreigner he identified as a Japanese national.

The kidnapper confirmed earlier reports that there are “around 41” hostages from several countries — Norway, France, the United States, Britain, Romania, Colombia, Thailand, the Philippines, Ireland, Japan, South Korea, and Armenia.

A Briton, a Japanese and an Irishman, identified as being among the hostages, took turns speaking on Al-Jazeera to demand the withdrawal of Algerian troops.

The three men, who spoke in turn by telephone, urged the army to stop opening fire at their place of detention and to preserve their lives and encourage negotiations.

The hostages, speaking in English but whose remarks were voiced over in Arabic by Al-Jazeera, echoed Abu al-Baraa’s calls for the Algerian army to withdraw.

A man identified as an Irish hostage said that the situation was deteriorating and demanded Algeria’s army pull out and halt its fire on the camp.

He also said that he had contacted his wife earlier.

The other two hostages made similar appeals.

Islamist gunmen killed two people and took 41 foreign hostages in the attack Wednesday at the In Amenas gas field near the Libyan border.

They said the attack was to avenge the Algerian government’s decision to open its airspace to French warplanes pounding Islamist rebels in neighbouring Mali.

Algeria on Wednesday sent troops to the site, and insisted it would not negotiate with the gunmen.