Algeria: Grim tolls, mounting questions




Freed Norwegian hostage Oddvar Birkedal is escorted at a police station in Amenas, Algeria, on Saturday.




STORY HIGHLIGHTS


  • NEW: Sixteen Filipinos are accounted for and confirmed alive

  • No known French hostages are unaccounted for, defense ministry says

  • At least one American is among the dead

  • Algerian prime minister to provide more details Monday




(CNN) -- After a fiery end to an Algerian hostage standoff that transfixed the world last week, more casualties piled up Monday as world leaders added up the grim tolls.


The Philippines reported six new deaths, raising the preliminary overall total to 29.


Read more: Bloody Algeria hostage crisis ends after 'final' assault, officials say


The number is certain to go up as more information trickles in, Algerian officials said.


The crisis began Wednesday when militants in pickup trucks struck a sprawling natural gas complex in In Amenas, gathered the Westerners who worked there into a group and tied them up.










Read more: Nations scramble to account for missing after Algeria hostage crisis


The plant in eastern Algeria is run by the state oil company, in cooperation with foreign firms such as Norway's Statoil and Britain's BP -- and as such, employed workers from several foreign countries.


Algerian special forces stormed the complex twice -- Thursday and Saturday -- to free hostages held by Islamist militants for four days. The government said it did so because the militants were planning to blow up the installation and flee to neighboring Mali.


Read more: Algerian forces seek 'peaceful' settlement of dramatic, deadly hostage crisis


Dozens of militants and hostages died in the raids. But security forces were able to free about 800 workers, including more than 100 foreigners.


One-eyed veteran Islamist fighter Mokhtar Belmokhtar has claimed responsibility for the hostage-taking on behalf of his al Qaeda-linked group, according to Mauritania's Sahara Media news agency.


He said it was in retaliation to Algeria for allowing France to use its airspace to battle Islamist militants in Mali. But regional analysts believe it was too sophisticated to have been planned in days


As world leaders work to return their citizens back home, more questions remain.


Read more: Algeria attack may have link to Libya camps


What did the Algerian government find after securing the scene of the standoff?


Exactly how many people are dead and unaccounted for?


Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal is expected to provide an update at a news conference at 8 a.m. ET Monday.


Meanwhile, here is the latest breakdown on the international hostages:


Colombia


Colombia's president said a citizen was presumed dead.


France


No known French hostages are unaccounted for, the defense ministry said.


A man identified as Yann Desjeux died after telling French newspaper Sud Ouest that he and 34 other hostages were treated well. It was unclear what led to his death.


Japan


Ten Japanese remain unaccounted for, according to JGC, a Yokohama-based engineering firm. Japan is sending a second team that includes doctors to the scene of the standoff. Other government officials have been at the site since last week.


Malaysia


Three hostages were on their way back home, state media reported. There is a "worrying possibility" that another is dead while a fifth is unaccounted for, the agency said.


Norway


Five Norwegians are missing, while eight are safe, according to the Norwegian Prime Minister.


Philippines


Six Filipinos are confirmed dead and four are missing, the nation's foreign affairs ministry said. In addition, 16 Filipinos are accounted for and confirmed alive, according to a ministry spokesman.


Romania


One Romanian lost his life while four others were freed, the country's foreign ministry said.


United Kingdom


Three British citizens were killed, the Foreign Office said Sunday. Three other British nationals and a UK resident are also "believed dead," he said. Twenty-two other Britons who were taken hostage have safely returned home.


United States


At least one American, identified as Frederick Buttaccio, is among the dead, the State Department said. Six freed Americans left Algeria and one remained.


Read more: Algeria attack may have link to Libya camps


CNN's Yoko Wakatsuki contributed to this report.






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