Burkina Faso president wishes ex-hostages safe return

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 via AP)

PARIS – Burkina Faso's president has received three liberated hostages in the presidential palace in the capital, Ouagadougou, to wish them well as they fly to Paris.

Roch Kabore tweeted Saturday he wishes the two French tourists and one South Korean citizen a "safe return to their respective families."

The three will fly to a military airport outside the French capital on Saturday evening where they will be welcomed by President Emmanuel Macron.

The hostages were liberated in a military operation in the West African nation after they were kidnapped in neighboring Benin.

A fourth freed hostage, an American national, is expected to be repatriated separately.

Officials said two French special forces officers and four "terrorists" were killed in Friday's pre-dawn military operation in northern Burkina Faso.