Reports: 35 Hostages Killed in Algeria

From Al Jazeera on Twitter, "BREAKING: 35 hostages and 15 hostage takers killed in Algeria as they tried to move from one plant location to another."

And Telegraph UK has live updates, "Algerian gas field crisis: 35 hostages 'killed by air strikes'."

And France 24 has background on Mokhtar Belmokhtar, who has claimed responsibility for the kidnappings:

Expect updates...

ADDED: At Jawa Report, "Algeria: Some Hostages, Including Americans, Escaped Captors; Unconfirmed Report: Several Hostages & Their Kidnappers Killed In Algerian Airstrike; FRANCE 24: Hostages Forced To Wear 'Suicide Belts'?"

Also, updates at the Guardian UK, "Fears for hostages as Algeria launches raid." And at the New York Times, "Hostages’ Fate Is Unclear as Algeria Mounts Rescue Attempt."

More, at background analysis at the New York Times, "U.S. Sees Hazy Threat From Mali Militants."

Here's this from the Guardian, "David Thomson of France24 flags images circulating on jihadist web sites that glorify Mokhtar Belmokhtar, believed to be behind the raid on the Amenas facility":

Les montages glorifiant M.Belmokhtar se répandent sur le web jihadiste qui annonce 15 morts dans ss rangs en #Algerie twitter.com/_DavidThomson/…
— David Thomson (@_DavidThomson) January 17, 2013

I'm updating on Twitter as well:

#Obama White House "condemns" hostage taking --- while ruling out aid to France! youtu.be/0tikYuftz8I #Algeria #TERRORISM
— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) January 17, 2013

And at London's Daily Mail, "'Al-Qaeda have got me': Trapped oil worker's desperate phone call to family from Algerian gas siege where '35 hostages were killed'."

12:11pm Pacific: Bad Blue links. Thanks!

Also, Hillary Clinton spoke on the crisis, via CNN, "Algeria: Military operation against hostage-takers still happening." I'll link the video of her statement later, but she didn't say much.

12:56pm Pacific: The Other McCain has a report and links, "Crisis in Algeria: More ‘Arab Spring’ Consequences; U.S. Hostages Seized."

And I just updated on Twitter:

Catherine Herridge reporting Algerian crisis a "pre-planned" attack. Members of Congress now speaking out. Updates: is.gd/rbVr6p
— Donald Douglas (@AmPowerBlog) January 17, 2013

1:22pm Pacific: At Reuters, "'We'll kill infidels,' Algeria gunmen told hostage."

And at Foreign Policy, "White House: We don't know if American hostages in Algeria are alive or dead."

3:26pm Pacific: From Christiane Amanpour:

BREAKING EXCLUSIVE: Irish Hostage forced to wear semtex explosives Ireland’s Deputy PM tells me on.cnn.com/13JobDR
— Christiane Amanpour (@camanpour) January 17, 2013

We're still waiting for news on the number of Americans killed, not to mention those of other nations. Say a prayer for the families.

PREVIOUSLY:

* "Obama White House is Missing in Action in Mali."

* "Militants Seize U.S. Hostages at BP Plant in Algeria."

* "Islamists Holding Americans Hostage in Algeria."

* "Britain's Defense Chiefs Warn Against Escalation in Mali."

* "War in Mali: France Boldly Goes Where the U.S. Fears to Tread."

* "French Mission in Mali 'Is Not Without Risk'."

* "Behind France's Botched Hostage Rescue in Somalia."

* "French Hostage Crisis in Somalia."

* "French Pilot Killed in Mali Helicopter Raid."