Algérie Presse Service (APS) - Jan. 18, 2013
Minister of Energy and Mining Youcef Yousfi said today in Algiers that Sonatrach managers activated the decompression of the Tiguentourine gas plant, located 40 km from In Amenas, Province of Illizi, to save human lives and plant facilities, as the plant came under terrorist attack.

"What is extraordinary is that on-site Sonatrach plant managers took the decision to stop the plant, isolate it and put all equipment under decompression to prevent the plant from becoming an immediate danger to people first and the plant as well," said Mr. Yousfi, speaking to the media, after he visited six of the hostages who were injured in the attack and evacuated to the "El Azhar" clinic in Algiers.

Nine injured, including two Britons, 4 Filipinos, one Japanese, and two Algerians, were evacuated yesterday to the clinic for treatment.

Three among the injured, including two Britons and one Japanese, have already been discharged from the health facility, sources at the clinic told APS, because their injuries turned out to be "light and not complicated."

Mr. Yousfi said that all human and material measures "have been taken to take care of the workers, namely injured people who are still on the site."