French President Nicolas Sarkozy has defended a military raid in Niger that left two French hostages dead.Sarkozy said Monday that launching the operation to try to free the two hostages «was the only decision to make.» He insisted that French soldiers involved in the raid were not the first to open fire. The two men were kidnapped from a restaurant in Niger's capital Jan. 7. Their bodies were found a day later at the Niger-Mali border after a skirmish involving forces from France and Niger. The al-Qaida offshoot in North Africa,known as AQIM, has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping. Sarkozy said seven French hostages held elsewhere by terrorists are alive. He said hostage-takings reinforce France's commitment to fighting terrorism.
