President Macron meets with hostages from West African militant camp, pays tribute to heroes killed in rescue mission

Freed French hostages Laurent Lassimouillas, left, and Patrick Picque, 2nd right, are welcomed by French President Emmanuel Macron, right, and Defense and Minister Florence Parly, 2nd left, at Villacoublay's military airport, west of Paris, France, Saturday, May 11, 2019. Officials said two French special forces officers and four "terrorists" were killed in Friday's pre-dawn military operation in northern Burkina Faso. (.(Francois Guillot/Pool Photo via AP))

Three hostages who escaped a West African military camp arrived in Paris today, making their second appearance since the ordeal and receiving a welcome from French President Emmanuel Macron.

Macron expressed condolences for the two French Special Forces officers who died saving four hostages from the Burkina Faso militant camp during a rescue operation.

Two of the hostages present in France Saturday were identified as Frenchmen Laurent Lassimouillas and Patrick Picque, while the third was an unidentified South Korean woman. The fourth hostage, an American woman, was not identified, and was flown back to the United States without speaking to Macron, according to The Daily Mail.

2 DECORATED FRENCH SOLDIERS KILLED IN RESCUE MISSION THAT SAVED AMERICAN, OTHER HOSTAGES IN AFRICA

Macron spoke to the hostages as they got off the plane at the Villacoublay Air Base southwest of Paris, making note of the sacrifice made by the Special Forces officers.

"All our thoughts go to the families of the soldiers and to the soldiers who lost their lives to free us from this hell," Lassimouillas said. "We wanted to present our condolences right away to those families because we feel ambivalent about everything that happened to us."

This photo provided Friday May 10, 2019 by the French army shows navy soldiers Cédric de Pierrepont, left, and Alain Bertoncello. Two French soldiers have been killed in a military operation in the West African nation of Burkina Faso that freed four people from the U.S., France and South Korea who were kidnapped in neighboring Benin. (French Army)

The soldiers were identified as petty officers Cédric de Pierrepont and Alain Bertoncello. A Facebook post by the French Navy added that both men received numerous awards throughout their military careers.

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Lassimouillas and Picque, both music teachers, had disappeared in Pendjari National Park in Benin on May 1. The Frenchmen spoke about the death of the Beninese park guide, who was killed when they were taken from the safari and transported to the military camp. They expressed regret over what happened and French officials say their captors were 'terrorists' who planned to transport them to an Al Qaeda affiliate in Mali.

The raid that saved the hostages happened Thursday night in the Western African nation of Burkina Faso, France says. (Google Maps)

The U.S. State Department warns Americans to "reconsider travel" to Burkina Faso as "terrorist groups continue plotting attacks and kidnappings ... and may conduct attacks anywhere."