The terrorist group of al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has claimed responsibility for the rocket attack that targeted a gas field in southern Algeria on Friday, local media reported Saturday.

In a statement posted on its own news agency al-Andalus, AQIM said the attack on In-Salah gas field targeted British Petroleum (BP) that runs the site.

It added that the attack was part of "the war against the crusaders' interests wherever they are, and as part of our efforts to end the theft of Muslims' oil, gas and wealth."

Two home-made missiles were fired towards In Salah gas field in southern Algeria on Friday, causing no casualties or damage.

Following the attack, Algerian army troops launched a wide-scale operation to hunt down the assailants.

It is the first terrorist attack against energy plants, since the attack of January 2013 that targeted a wide gas field in the locality of Tiguentourine, and left more than 38 dead, the majority of whom were foreign workers.

Investigations revealed that the armed group that carried out the attack came from Libya.

The North African nation has raised concern over the imminent Western military intervention in Libya, which is said to chase terrorists and restore peace there. Algeria fears that a military operation in Libya would force militants there to infiltrate into its territory.

Algeria has been deploying more troops on the border with troubled Libya to thwart the intrusion of militants linked to AQIM and other armed groups, including the newly established group of the Caliph's Soldiers, which attribute themselves to the Islamic State (IS) group. Endit

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