WASHINGTON (AP) – Three U.S. citizens were killed in last week’s hostage standoff at a natural gas complex in Algeria, while seven Americans made it out safely, Obama administration officials said Monday.

The State Department confirmed that gas workers Victor Lynn Lovelady of Houston, Texas, and Gordon Lee Rowan were killed at the Ain Amenas field in the Sahara. U.S. officials identified Texas resident Frederick Buttaccio as the first death last week.

“I’m glad we were able to get some rescued, but we did lose three Americans,” Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said as he was leaving the Capitol, where he attended President Barack Obama’s second inauguration. “That just tells us that al-Qaida is committed to creating terror wherever they are and we’ve got to fight back.”