30 FOREIGNERS STILL IN HOSTAGE SITUATION IN ALGERIA

SOME OF THE HOSTAGES WHO WERE SET FREE

Hundreds of hostages have been freed from militants at an Algerian gas facility, state media say, but about 30 foreigners are still unaccounted for.

State-run APS news agency said 573 Algerians and 'around 100' of 132 foreign workers were freed at the In Amenas facility.
The militants remained holed up at the site, APS said. About 10 Britons are thought to be still held.
The agency says 12 workers died since a rescue operation began on Thursday.
The 12 included Algerians and foreigners. Eighteen of the hostage takers were also "put out of action", APS said, citing a "provisional" total.
The US state department has confirmed that one US hostage, Frederick Buttaccio, died in the operation, but gave no details of the circumstances.
"Out of respect for the family's privacy, we have no further comment," said state department spokesperson Victoria Nuland.
The Algieran news agency had previously issued a less precise total of freed foreign hostages, saying "more than half" of the 132 had been liberated.

Two workers, a Briton and an Algerian, reportedly died on Wednesday when the militants ambushed two buses that were taking foreign workers at the facility to the local airport.

After the attack on the buses, at 0500 local time on Wednesday, the militants drove to the installation and took Algerian and foreign workers hostage in the living area and the main gas facility at the complex.
At noon local time on Thursday, Algerian forces attacked as the militants tried to move some of their captives from the facility. The current situation is unclear, but reports on Friday morning said security forces were still searching for the hostage takers at the complex.
A security source told APS that Algerian special forces were seeking a "peaceful end" to the crisis.
The installation had been put out of action to avoid the risk of an explosion, the state news agency reported.