Hostage Crisis, Algeria | featured news

All eyes are on Algeria following the hostage crisis at a BP gas facility that left at least 37 hostages -- and dozens of militants -- dead. And while we're uncovering details of what happened at the remote desert complex at In Amenas and why, we must also scrutinize what this crisis tells us about security in North Africa, or the Maghreb.

Algerian special forces stormed a natural gas complex in the middle of the Sahara desert on Saturday in a "final assault" that ended a four-day-old hostage crisis, according to the state news agency and two foreign governments. At least 19 hostages and 29 Islamist militants have been killed.