The Kurdish militant group, the PKK, has released eight Turkish hostages it has held in northern Iraq for two years, sources at the scene say, according to BBC News.

"We have safely received the prisoners," Husamettin Zemberlioglu, a Kurdish politician said.

The move is being seen as part of efforts to end the three-decade conflict between Turkey and the PKK. Last month the jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan called for prisoners to be released by both sides.