Paris (CNN) A French hostage in Burkina Faso, freed in an overnight rescue this week in which two soldiers were killed, described the experience as "hell."

a French-led operation with the support of the US military. Laurent Lassimouillas was freed along with another Frenchman, an American woman and a South Korean woman ina French-led operation with the support of the US military. The rescue occurred between Thursday and Friday in the Sahel region of Burkina Faso.

"I want to thank French authorities and Burkina Faso ones," Lassimouillas told reporters at the presidential palace in the capital of Ouagadougou before a meeting with Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, Burkina Faso's President.

"Our thoughts are for the families of the soldiers and the soldiers who lost their (lives) to free us from this hell," he added, according to CNN affiliate BFMTV.

Lassimouillas, his compatriot, Patrick Picque, and the South Korean landed safely Saturday at a French air force base outside Paris, where French President Emmanuel Macron greeted them. The former hostages will receive a full health examination.

Read More