Details are again sketchy. The official U.S. media is avoiding this like the plague. Huffington post had an article with 6 victims. But, it appears the reality is far worse. Reuters reports 34 of the initial 41 hostages have been killed, and U.K. Daily Mail says up to 35 of the hostages killed.

Reports late last night from French Media were that the hostages had been outfitted with explosive, suicide type, bomb belts/vests.  Prayers for all the families of the victims. Here are a couple of latest reports. 

(Daily Mail)Two British workers were reported tonight to be among the dead following a botched Algerian military raid to free hostages at a desert gas plant.

Thirty hostages, including at least seven foreigners, were killed when Algerian forces stormed a BP desert gas plant seized by Islamist militants, an Algerian security source said. (more…)

(AFP) – Islamist forces based in northern Mali vowed Monday to avenge France’s fierce military offensive against them on French soil.

“France has attacked Islam. We will strike at the heart of France,” said a leader of the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), an offshoot of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). (more…)

The French have lost substantial ground since their decision to try to push back against the Islamists.   Most of the “Western Trained” state army officers have defected to the other side.   al-Qaeda is within 250 miles of the Capitol, Bamako.   This is the heartland of both AQIM and al-Shabab elements.    Both of which were the main benefactors from the Libyan weapons depots, including surface to air missiles.

The French military, which began battling in Mali on Friday, expanded its aerial bombing campaign of northern Mali, launching airstrikes for the first time in central Mali to combat the new threat. But it failed to halt the advance of the rebels, who now are only 250 miles from the capital Bamako, in the far south. Before France sent its forces in on Friday, the closest known spot the Islamists were to the capital was 420 miles away near the central belt, though they might have infiltrated closer than that.  (link)

al-Qaeda is bragging by posting pictures of the dead French military via twitter., and sending out press releases. 

Plea from sanctimonious Hollande to the U.S.A. begging for help in 3…… 2……

(France 24) — France’s military intervention in Mali will be increased to 2,500 French soldiers, defence ministry sources said Tuesday, as the offensive in the divided African country entered its fifth day.

French President François Hollande held a press conference during a state visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday, during which he outlined France’s three goals in Mali. (more…)