US President Barack Obama has said the White House believes a US counterterrorism operation against Al-Qaeda "accidentally killed" two hostages, an American and an Italian.
The American was Dr Warren Weinstein, held by militans since 2011, while Giovanni Lo Porto, an Italian, was taken hostage in 2012.
Obama asserted in a speech aired by CNN that as soon as the case is investigated, the operation will be "declassified" so that the Lo Porto family have access to the information.
He said that, as President, he "takes full responsibility".
Along with the hostages, two US citizens who were members to al-Qaeda also died in recent operations.