Photo: BP

The scene of the hostage crisis, a natural gas facility in Amenas, Algeria.

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

Today, the thoughts and prayers of the American people are with the families of all those who were killed and injured in the terrorist attack in Algeria.

The blame for this tragedy rests with the terrorists who carried it out, and the United States condemns their actions in the strongest possible terms. We have been in constant contact with Algerian officials and stand ready to provide whatever assistance they need in the aftermath of this attack.

We also will continue to work closely with all of our partners to combat the scourge of terrorism in the region, which has claimed too many innocent lives. This attack is another reminder of the threat posed by al Qaeda and other violent extremist groups in North Africa.

In the coming days, we will remain in close touch with the Government of Algeria to gain a fuller understanding of what took place so that we can work together to prevent tragedies like this in the future.