Four hostages in Burkina Faso freed on Friday, May 10th including two French citizens, an American woman and a South Korean woman.

A rescue mission was launched days before it actually happened. A first operation was conducted on Tuesday with U.S support in order to track the kidnappers.

How did the rescue happen?

A night military troop was within

In the process, two French soldiers were killed when entering the kidnappers’Four of the gang were killed and two escaped.

It was time to act, according to Commanders, as the militant gang was getting closer to the Malian border. They believed the hostages were planned to be handed to another militant group named Katiba Macina.

“Once the hostages were in their hands [in Mali], it would have been impossible to rescue them” told General Francois Lecointre.

Special Forces found out during the mission that they were not only two French hostages but an American woman and a South Korean woman.

French troops were confused that these ex-hostages adventured themselves in such region, the Pendjari National Park, as it has been constantly hit by Islamist violence.

A Global effort to a rescue mission.

Both the United States and South Korea did not seem to be aware of the presence of these two women.

French military acknowledged the U.S support in this mission as well as Burkina Faso and Benin for their help.

On Friday 10^th, U.S thanked French Special Forces but also paid tribute to the two killed soldiers.

“I offer my deepest condolences to the families of the French soldiers killed during the operation” said Tibor Nagy, assistant secretary of state for Africa.

Emmanuel Macron will be paying tribute on Tuesday to Cédric de Pierrepont and Alain Bertoncello, both soldiers killed in the rescue.

Sam Tabahriti