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.

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