EVENT SUMMARY
Algerian army has killed four militants in a desert region involved in Friday’s attack an Algerian gas plant jointly operated by foreign energy giants.
The gas plant operated by Norway's Statoil and Britain's BP was hit by rocket-propelled grenades in the troubled region, located some 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) south of Algeria’s capital Algiers.
Security launched manhunt operations leading to the killing of the four militants. An Algerian security source said on Sunday that another three militant were also wounded in the desert region of Ain Saleh where Krechba gas facility is located.
The source noted that the killed militants had been involved in other subversive activities, including the Friday attack on the gas plant.
No casualties were reported in the attack but the gas facility was closed as a precaution.
AQIM CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY
Al-Qaeda’s North African affiliate (Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) terrorist group) claimed responsibility of the Friday’s attack. The group released a statement directed at the Algerian government and western oil companies threatening to carry out more attacks in the coming days.
Following the attack, Algerian government has scaled up the security saying the country's oil and gas infrastructure has been heavily protected.
In recent months the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) terrorist group has waged attacks in West African countries including Ivory Coast, Mali and Burkina Faso.
