France 24 TV reports that some of the estimated 41 hostages held at the BP oil plant by the Khaled Abul Abbas Brigade in Algeria are being made to wear explosives around their necks. This unnamed hostage speaking via the telephone on Wednesday night said

"They attacked the two sites at the same time. They went inside and once it was daylight they gathered everybody together."

He went on to say that the hostage-takers were heavily armed and had threatened to blow up the natural gas facility if the Algerian army tried to free the hostages.

Following the death of a British man William Hague condemned the attack. However reports from Algerian state media say that 30 Algerian workers have now managed to make it out of the compound and that the plant has been surrounded by Algerian army and security forces, with army helicopters flying overhead. So far there is no further news on the six people who were wounded yesterday. But as this unresolved and serious situation escalates then international intervention is likely to be the only way to resolve this crisis.

I am Ann Salter thanks for watching. Stay tuned for the latest news and updates on this story with me at ibtimes.co.uk

Written and presented by Ann Salter