State Department: U.S. Hostages Taken In Algeria

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland confirmed on Wednesday that Americans have been taken hostage as part of an Islamist raid on a BP gas field in Algeria.

"The best information that we have at this time is that U.S. citizens are among the hostages," Nuland said. She did not provide names or the number of U.S. hostages.

The Norwegian, Japanese and Irish embassies have confirmed that some of their citizens have been captured. Their current status is unknown.

The Associated Press puts the current number of American hostages at 7, and estimates 41 hostages overall.