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Turkish hostages held by IS in Iraq released | Turkish hostages held by IS in Iraq released |
(35 minutes later) | |
Dozens of hostages seized by Islamic State (IS) from the Turkish consulate in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul have been freed and are back in Turkey. | |
PM Ahmet Davutoglu said the 49 had been taken to the southern city of Sanliurfa by the Turkish intelligence agency. | |
Details are unclear but President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said it had been a "detailed and secret operation". | Details are unclear but President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said it had been a "detailed and secret operation". |
The hostages were seized after IS militants overran Mosul in a rapid advance in June. | |
Turkey has refused direct involvement in the military campaign against IS partly because of fears over the hostages' safety. | Turkey has refused direct involvement in the military campaign against IS partly because of fears over the hostages' safety. |
Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said the 49 hostages were employees from the consulate - 46 Turks and three local Iraqis - and included Consul General Ozturk Yilmaz, other diplomats, children and special forces police. | |
Mr Davutoglu said they were all in good health and that they were released early on Saturday. | |
"I am sharing joyful news which as a nation we have been waiting for,'' he said. | "I am sharing joyful news which as a nation we have been waiting for,'' he said. |
"In the early hours our citizens were handed over to us and we brought them back to our country. They have crossed into Turkey and I am on my way to see them.'' | "In the early hours our citizens were handed over to us and we brought them back to our country. They have crossed into Turkey and I am on my way to see them.'' |
Mr Davutoglu was cutting short a visit to Azerbaijan to meet the released hostages. | Mr Davutoglu was cutting short a visit to Azerbaijan to meet the released hostages. |
He did not give details on the circumstances of their release but broadcaster NTV reported that Turkey had not paid a ransom. It did not say how it obtained the information. | He did not give details on the circumstances of their release but broadcaster NTV reported that Turkey had not paid a ransom. It did not say how it obtained the information. |
More than 30 Turkish lorry drivers, who were also seized in Mosul in June, were freed a month later but details of their release were not made public. | More than 30 Turkish lorry drivers, who were also seized in Mosul in June, were freed a month later but details of their release were not made public. |
IS has seized large areas of Iraq and Syria. Estimates say the group could have up to 30,000 fighters. | IS has seized large areas of Iraq and Syria. Estimates say the group could have up to 30,000 fighters. |
The US has carried out more than 170 air strikes against the jihadists in Iraq since mid-August, supporting Iraqi government and Kurdish ground troops. | The US has carried out more than 170 air strikes against the jihadists in Iraq since mid-August, supporting Iraqi government and Kurdish ground troops. |
French jets carried out their first strikes on Friday, hitting an IS depot in north-eastern Iraq. | French jets carried out their first strikes on Friday, hitting an IS depot in north-eastern Iraq. |
Also on Friday, Turkey opened a stretch of its south-eastern border to thousands of Syrian Kurds fleeing an IS advance. | Also on Friday, Turkey opened a stretch of its south-eastern border to thousands of Syrian Kurds fleeing an IS advance. |
Turkish troops had earlier blocked them from crossing, triggering angry protests from Turkish Kurds in the border village of Dikemetas. | Turkish troops had earlier blocked them from crossing, triggering angry protests from Turkish Kurds in the border village of Dikemetas. |
Turkey has been under pressure from Western countries to tighten up its borders with Syria and Iraq and to stem the flow of foreign fighters joining the militants. | Turkey has been under pressure from Western countries to tighten up its borders with Syria and Iraq and to stem the flow of foreign fighters joining the militants. |
More than 847,000 Syrian refugees have crossed into Turkey since the uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad began in 2011. | More than 847,000 Syrian refugees have crossed into Turkey since the uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad began in 2011. |
Iran 'has role' | Iran 'has role' |
More than 30 nations have joined a US-led coalition to take on IS militants, but Turkey has said it will only allow humanitarian and logistical operations from a Nato air base on its soil. | More than 30 nations have joined a US-led coalition to take on IS militants, but Turkey has said it will only allow humanitarian and logistical operations from a Nato air base on its soil. |
Syria and Iran have been excluded from the coalition. | Syria and Iran have been excluded from the coalition. |
However, US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Friday that Iran still had a role to play in tackling IS. | However, US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Friday that Iran still had a role to play in tackling IS. |
Chairing a meeting of the UN Security Council, Mr Kerry said the coalition was not only military in nature. | Chairing a meeting of the UN Security Council, Mr Kerry said the coalition was not only military in nature. |
"It's about taking out an entire network, decimating and discrediting a militant cult masquerading as a religious movement," Mr Kerry said. | "It's about taking out an entire network, decimating and discrediting a militant cult masquerading as a religious movement," Mr Kerry said. |
He added: "There is a role for nearly every country in the world to play, including Iran." | He added: "There is a role for nearly every country in the world to play, including Iran." |
On Thursday, the US Senate approved Mr Obama's plan to arm and train moderate Syrian rebels to fight IS. | On Thursday, the US Senate approved Mr Obama's plan to arm and train moderate Syrian rebels to fight IS. |
US air strikes are now expected in Syria, but Mr Obama said he will not authorise a ground operation in Iraq or Syria. | US air strikes are now expected in Syria, but Mr Obama said he will not authorise a ground operation in Iraq or Syria. |