French journalists detained in Syria "alive": Hollande

French President Francois Hollande on Sunday said he had "proof of life" of the two journalists kidnapped in Syria three months ago.

"We do everything to release them, but making contacts to release them is a very long process," the president told the private channel TF1.

The journalist Didier Francois and freelance photographer Edouard Elias working for the local broadcaster Europe1 were kidnapped in June when they were en route to Aleppo in Syria.

So far, five French people have been taken hostage in the Sahel region.