Algeria refused Britain’s S.A.S units’ intervention to free Tiguentourine hostages

A recent British TV documentary has revealed the ins and outs of last January’s hostage – taking at the Tiguentourine gas plant in the Algerian southern province of In Amenas which left 40 captives killed after the Algerian Army’s forceful intervention which neutralized the terrorists and led to the liberation of about 800 employees held inside the gas infrastructure.

This documentary film which was broadcast on British Television on Tuesday under the title “Return to In Amenas”, provided exhaustive elements about the decisive assault launched by Algerian troops to free the hostages in the Tiguentourine gas facility despite the serious threats posed by such a delicate salvaging operation.

The documentary also dwelt on the Algerian government’s flat refusal to allow British S.A.S. units to intervene to secure the release of the captives in Tiguentourine for obvious national sovereignty reasons.

This striking documentary film featured numerous experts in counter – terrorism as well as several former hostages in the Tiguentourine terrorist attack. The latter  seized the opportunity to give ample details about their painful ordeal there and how they were finally set free thanks to the decisive Algerian forces’ intervention after a stand – off of several appalling days, as they put it.

At that time, all news outlets in Algeria came out in strong praise of the Algerian army’s salutary actions in the hostage crisis at the In Amenas gas plant in the Algerian Deep South. 

The papers also praised the Algerian authorities’ refusal of a US offer of a joint investigation as a display of patriotic independence.

Despite “negative aspects” in the way the crisis was dealt with and its “sad” end, the Algerian military did the right thing in confronting the terrorists despite the risk for hostages, they noted.

They were proud to see their country strike with an iron fist in defence of its national sovereignty.

“The Algerian national popular army gave a good example when it put the interest of Algeria above the interests of all other countries, which wanted to save their nationals at any cost, even if that cost was to bring Algeria again face to face with the heinous scourge of terrorism.”

The Algerian military’s decisive and successful intervention apparently came as a surprise to some of the governments whose nationals were being held captive by the heavily-armed terrorists entrenched then inside the Tiguentourine gas complex.