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From April 22, 1988 to May 5, 1988, independence fighters took 27 French gendarmes as hostages in the island of Ouvéa, New Caledonia, requesting instant independence of New Caledonia from France.
4 hostages were murdered.
Assault
On May 5, 1988, the Gossannah cave in which the abductors had sought refuge with their hostages was assaulted by:
- 34 parachutists from the 11th Shock Parachutist Regiment;
- 16 combat divers from the Hubert Naval commando;
- 14 gendarmes of the GIGN;
- 11 parachutist gendarmes of the EPIGN.
The assault "operation Victor" included the use of flame throwers by the parachutist engineers against independentists operating an AA 52 heavy machine gun from a cave. 19 Kanaks and 2 French died then.
Related links
- the story (http://www.gend-ouvea.asso.fr/France/Histoire/TIHistoire0205.html)