The British cabinet ministers are still awaiting information from the Algerian government on the number of British dead as they were not informed in advance in yesterday’s rescue operation by the Algerian Government.

The Algerian army carried out raids on Thursday claiming to freeing number of hostages taken by alleged Al-Qaeda militants at theTigantourine gas facility is about 40km (25 miles) south-west of In Amenas, which is close to the Libyan border and about 1,300km (800 miles) south-east of Algiers.

They were number of conflicting reports about number of hostages killed and rescued after the operation with the US, Japan and the UK voicing their displeasure about the operation.

The Japanese government protested against the raid, urging Algeria should have put the highest priority on people’s lives before the raid.

It further stated that three of its nationals had been freed in the operation but that 14 remained unaccounted for and they are waiting for an answer from Algiers.

The US on the other hand said it was “seeking clarity” on what had happened before and after the operation which claimed lives.

The British Prime Minister David Cameron who cancelled a key speech on Europe scheduled for Friday was reportedly to have made it clear that he would have preferred to have been told in advance before the operation.

It is being also speculated that the British government had offered Algeria advice on how to deal with the siege situation – whether through negotiations or a military solution – because the Algerian government lacked the expertise but the Algerian government decide to carry out the raids without further details to the UK.

Algeria State TV said four foreign hostages had been killed in the raid but the militants reported that at least 34 hostages and 14 kidnappers died and seven foreign hostages survived.

Issaka Adams / NationalTurk Africa News             

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