- Title: ALGERIA: In Amenas engineer thanks Algerian army, asks colleagues to return
- Date: 31st January 2013
- Summary: PLEASE NOTE THAT SHOTS 1 - 15 ARE REPEATED FROM EDIT 4182-ALGERIA-GAS WORKERS COMPOUND TIGUENTOURINE, ALGERIA (JANUARY 31, 2013) (REUTERS) APPROACH TO CHECKPOINT IN TIGUENTOURINE LEADING TO RESIDENCY COMPOUND FOR FOREIGN WORKERS AT THE IN AMENAS GAS FACILITY SIGN MARKING DIRECTION TO RESIDENTIAL CAMP SIGN FROM BEHIND METAL WIRES WIDE OF SECURITY ACTIVITY AT RESIDENTIAL COMPOUND / SOLDIERS WALKING ABOUT SECURITY FORCES STOOD NEAR A TANK MORE OF SOLDIERS TWO SOLDIERS PERCHED ON TANK ARMED SECURITY FORCES STANDING MORE OF ACTIVITY AT RESIDENTIAL CAMP CLOSE OF BOARD (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) IN AMENAS MUNICIPALITY CHIEF, MANSOURI BELAL, SAYING: "This is something that has not just affected us, but has affected the entire world. We all condemn this criminal and cowardly act at the gas facility in Tiguentourine. We praise the members of the National Army for intervening so quickly and saving the hostages, the Algerian and the foreign hostages." (JOURNALIST ASKS IF THE ATTACK HAS AFFECTED THE RESIDENTS OF IN AMENAS?) "It will not affect us, and we will never fear them. They are cowards who work at night and we will confront them with our dedicated citizens with God's help." WIDE OF SURROUNDING AREA BUILDINGS AT COMPOUND PEOPLE IN PROTECTIVE CLOTHING STANDING NEAR SHIPPING CONTAINERS VARIOUS OF SECURITY AT COMPOUND WORKERS AND JOURNALISTS IN THE IN THE RESIDENTIAL COMPOUND OF THE FOREIGN WORKERS AT THE IN AMENAS GAS FACILITY VARIOUS OF BULLET HOLES IN WALLS EMPTY CAR PARK AT RESIDENTIAL COMPOUND VARIOUS OF MILITARY OFFICERS STANDING GUARD GAS FACILITY SEEN THROUGH WIRE FENCE GUARDING RESIDENTIAL COMPOUND VARIOUS OF GAS PLANT SEEN FROM BUS VARIOUS DAMAGED CARS USED BY MILITANTS DURING FACILITY ATTACK CONVOY SEEN APPROACHING GAS PLANT SIGN SEEN THROUGH BUS WINDOWS FOR CENTRAL PROCESSING FACILITIES VARIOUS OF WORKERS WALKING AROUND PLANT VARIOUS OF GAS PLANT FACILITIES MAYOR AND SHERIFF TALKING BULLET HOLES ON WALL NEAR GAS PIPES IN AMENAS ENGINEER, HAOUCH ABDELHAK, HOLDING WALKIE TALKIE IN AMENAS SIGN SEEN ON HARD HAT IN FOREGROUND, FACILITY SEEN IN BACKGROUND (SOUNDBITE) (English) IN AMENAS ENGINEER, HAOUCH ABDELHAK, SAYING: "It will be catastrophe of people. Probably they will, they could kill more than this. Also, I can speak about the Algerian military; I want just to thank them about the assault they did." IN AMENAS ENSIGNIA SEEN ON OVERALLS (SOUNDBITE) (English) IN AMENAS ENGINEER, HAOUCH ABDELHAK, SAYING: "For our expat colleagues, I will be ask them to come back, please come back. The situation is safe, it's safe, and we'll start the CPF, it will start." VARIOUS OF MILITARY STANDING GUARD
- Embargoed: 15th February 2013 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Algeria
- Country: Algeria
- Topics: Conflict,Politics,Energy
- Reuters ID: LVA1F5RCPC6UG7DAYVYL9Z0NRC7N
- Story Text: An In Amenas engineer says he's thankful for action taken by the Algerian army in a recent siege at the gas plant he works at, encouraging his colleagues to return to work at the plant.
Come back to work was the message one of the engineers at the In Amenas gas plant in Algeria told expat colleagues on Thursday (January 31), as he thanked the Algerian military for their action in ending a siege there earlier this month by Islamic militants.
Speaking as cameras were taken to the plant and the nearby residential compound where foreign workers had stayed during their stints there, engineer Haouch Abdelhak said the attack could have been much worse were it not for the actions of the Algerian military.
"It will be catastrophe of people. Probably they will, they could kill more than this. Also, I can speak about the Algerian military; I want just to thank them about the assault they did," he told Reuters television.
Abdelhak said there was no longer any danger at the plant, and his expatriate colleagues should return to work there.
"For our expat colleagues, I will be ask them to come back, please come back, the situation is safe, it's safe, and we'll start the CPF, it will start," he said, as armed guards stood watching over the engineers dressed in the the In Amenas blue overalls.
Bullet holes were visible near the central processing facility of the gas plant.
As damage is assessed and repairs are made to the plant, municipality chief Mansouri Belal vowed that the attackers would be confronted.
Speaking at the residential compound in Tiguentourine for foreign workers of the In Amenas gas facility, Belal condemned the attack, calling it a cowardly act.
"This is something that has not just affected us, but has affected the entire world. We all condemn this criminal and cowardly act at the gas facility in Tiguentourine. We praise the members of the National Army for intervening so quickly and saving the hostages, the Algerian and the foreign hostages," said the In Amenas municipality chief.
Heavy police activity could be seen at the residential compound, with tanks and armed soldiers stationed around the area.
Belal said local residents were not frightened by the siege and would support security efforts to capture the attackers on the plant, jointly owned by BP, Statoil and Algeria's state energy firm Sonatrach.
"It will not affect us, and we will never fear them. They are cowards who work at night and we will confront them with our dedicated citizens with God's help," he said.
Up to 37 foreigners died after troops stormed the complex to end the hostage crisis, which also saw the killing of 29 hostage-takers.
Algeria has yet to set a date to restart the plant its energy, the mines minister said on Tuesday (January 29). - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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