French soldiers Cedric de Pierrepont (left) and Alain Bertoncello were both killed in the special operation.

Hostages rescued, two French soldiers killed in Burkina Faso

French soldiers Cedric de Pierrepont (left) and Alain Bertoncello were both killed in the special operation.

(NBC) – Two French soldiers were killed during a rescue operation that saved an American and three others from terrorists in Africa.

The French defense minister said Friday the American, along with two French tourists and a South Korean, were kidnapped in the West African country of Benin.

The kidnappers took them across the border into Burkina Faso.

A French Special Forces operation to free the hostages began Thursday night and ended Friday morning.

All the hostages survived.

Two French Special Forces soldiers were killed. They were identified as Cedric de Pierrepont and Alain Bertoncello.

The French tourists were kidnapped in a Benin National Park last week. Their guide was found shot to death.

It’s not clear when the American and South Korean were kidnapped.

Parts of northern and eastern Burkina Faso have been overrun by Islamist militants.

The French defense minister said the two French soldiers did not falter in the face of the terrorists and saved the lives of the four hostages.

The name of the American hostage has not been released.

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