ALGIERS, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Azedine, 27, the radio operatorat Algeria's In Amenas' gas plant, is still in shock afterescaping from his armed Islamist captors on Wednesday, unable toshake the face of his dead supervisor from his mind's eye.
As the young Algerian escaped from the desert complex, whichwas over-run on Wednesday by al-Qaeda-linked militants inretaliation for French military action against Islamist rebelsin neighbouring Mali, he saw the body of his French supervisorand one of the militants putting on his badge.
"My supervisor was a great man; I learned a lot from him. Hehad been shot, but I did not see the execution. All I saw washis body when I ran with some colleagues to leave the base,"Azedine told Reuters.
Dozens of hostages remain captive on Friday even afterAlgerian forces stormed the base on Thursday, freeing hundreds.Thirty hostages, including several Westerners, were killedduring Thursday's assault, a security source said, along with atleast 18 of their captors.
"The attack had been launched on Wednesday at 0545," Azedinesaid. I remember because as a radio operator I was in contactwith the bus that was about to leave the base to drive severalexpats to the airport. A few seconds after the bus left, I heardshootings, a lot of shootings, and then nothing.
"The group entered into the base right after the attackagainst the bus. The power was cut off. They were talking inArabic, but I did not understand what they were saying. Theywere not Algerians, I thought.
"I stayed in my office. I was concerned because they wouldhave certainly seized my equipment and my Thuraya (satellitephone). I stayed silent a couple of hours waiting for the lightof day. I saw the terrorists; some were clean, others weredirty, some with beards, others without, and among them a Frenchnational with sunglasses. He looked European.
"Colleagues came to me, and we contacted the army people andthen we managed to run away. We are very lucky, but the face ofmy French supervisor is still before my eyes."