Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire, featured on Press TV World News discussing the Algerian military operations at the In Amenas gas field in the Sahara. The program aired on January 18, 2013., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
Sat Jan 19, 2013 5:45PM GMT
To watch this interview with Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire, just click on the website below:
http://www.presstv.com/detail/2013/01/19/284462/algeria-in-an-explosive-situation/
"I feel that this is a very explosive situation and it could in fact in the long-term involve other forces in this overall operation that is taking place right now inside of Algeria."
A political analyst tells Press TV that Algeria is in a very explosive situation and it could in fact in the long-term involve other forces in this overall operation that is taking place right now inside the North African country.
The comments came after twelve hostages died in a botched operation to rescue workers being held captive by militants at a gas plant in eastern Algeria.
Press TV has conducted an interview with Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire, to further discuss the issue. What follows is an approximate transcription of the interview.
Press TV: How is the hostage crisis being dealt with? I mean those countries whose nationals have been taken captive, are they going to become involved in operations to free their nationals, do you think?
Azikiwe: Yesterday the Algerian government led the public to believe that the situation had been contained but apparently it is an ongoing crisis. Apparently there are people who are still being held and it appears to be fighting that is still going on in and around the In Amenas gas field.
I believe that the Algerian government acted yesterday with the possible anticipation that France, or perhaps the United States, would become involved militarily in an attempt to rescue the people who have been held at this gas field.
I feel that this is a very explosive situation and it could in fact in the long-term involve other forces in this overall operation that is taking place right now inside of Algeria.
Press TV: How much of a threat is there that these militants would take revenge and attack France on it's own soil as they have threatened to do so?
Azikiwe: Well there are many foreign nationals who are operating inside of Algeria in the natural gas industry.
I think it is quite interesting that the Islamists who are holding the hostages inside the gas field have made reference to the French intervention in Mali and they have also called for the exchange of prisoners being held in the United States who were associated with the first bombing of the World Trade Center some 20 years ago in 1993, which did not do as much damage as the September 2001 bombing of the World Trade Center. But these events which have been evolving for over two decades are now coming back to the fore.
Also we have to keep in my mind that there has also been reports that the Islamist organization which is involved in the standoff entered the country not through Mali but through Libya where there has been a tremendous amount of destabilization since the US and NATO war against Libya concluded in October 2011.
This is becoming an international situation and I do not believe that it is going to be resolved by simply carrying out these military operations.
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