Burkina Faso hostage rescue
Part of The War against the Islamic State, Operation Barkhane, Terrorism in Burkina Faso, Jihadist insurgency in Burkina Faso, Islamist insurgency in the Sahel and Insurgency in the Maghreb (2002–present)
Date 9 – 10 May 2019 Location Near Gorom-Gorom in Northern Burkina Faso, West Africa 14°27′N 0°14′W / 14.450°N 0.233°W / 14.450; -0.233 Result Mission successful Hostages rescued Two Commando Hubert operators killed
Belligerents
France Supported by:   United States (intelligence support)   Burkina Faso (logistical support)	Islamic State of the Great Sahara (EIGS) [1]
Units involved
Special Operations Command Commandos Marine Commando Hubert 1st Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment (1er R.P.I.Ma) Air Parachute Commando n° 10, CPA 10
Strength
24 commandos ~ 10 helicopters 2 MQ-9 Reaper drones 1 CASA medical plane 1 MQ-9 Reaper drone	6 gunmen
Casualties and losses
2 killed	4 killed [1]
4 hostages freed
Gorom-Gorom class=notpageimage| Location of Gorom-Gorom, close to where the operation took place.

On May 9, 2019, French special operations forces conducted a rescue operation in Northern Burkina Faso, that resulted in the deaths of two French petty officers, four out of six gunmen, and the recovery of all four hostages of French, American, and South Korean nationality. The operation was conducted by approximately 24 operators from Commando Hubert, the 1st Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment, and the Air Parachute Commando n° 10, CPA 10, with intelligence and overhead support from the United States Military. ^{[2] [3] [4]}

Background

The hostage situation included four hostages of French, American, and South Korean nationality. ^[5] Patrick Picque and Laurent Lassimouillas, two French music teachers, were kidnapped on May 1 while vacationing in Pendjari National Park in Benin. ^[6] Their tour guide was found killed and their car had been burned. Meanwhile, the South Korean and American hostages, whose identities have not been released, were abducted while crossing together from Benin into Burkina Faso, about one month earlier. ^[7]

Rescue

While the terrorist organization behind the hostage crisis was unidentified, French military believe that the hostages were about to be handed to the Macina Liberation Front, a terrorist organization in Mali. ^[5] Before the rescue, the abductors had been moving northbound through Burkina Faso, but had set up camp overnight in the Sahel region. ^[8]

The hostage rescue occurred during the night on May 9, 2019. ^[6] French special forces approached the abductors' camp, covering 200 meters of open ground before being noticed 10 meters away. Two special forces soldiers, Cédric de Pierrepont, 32, and Alain Bertoncello, 27, died during the rescue, as did four of the militants. Both operatives belonged to Commando d'Action Sous-Marine Hubert, or CASM. ^[9]

On January 12 and 13, security forces conducted a rescue operation in which 66 people were rescued. ^[10]

Aftermath

Following the rescue, the two Frenchmen and the South Korean were received by President Emmanuel Macron at Villacoublay airport. The former captives expressed their thanks to the soldiers that died and to the French and Burkinabe authorities for their roles in the rescue.

On May 14, 2019, a national tribute was held in Paris in honour of the two soldiers that died during the rescue mission. ^[11]

References