Islamic State militants release Turkish hostages in Iraq

PanARMENIAN.Net - Some 49 Turkish hostages seized by Islamic State (IS) in the north Iraqi city of Mosul in June are now back in Turkey, PM Ahmet Davutoglu says.

The hostages included diplomats and their families as well as soldiers. They were seized from Turkey's consulate after IS militants seized 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.

The militants attacked the consulate in the early hours of June 11, and at first, staff members resisted and refused to open the building’s doors, according to a Turkish official who spoke on the condition of anonymity under diplomatic rules. After a long standoff, the insurgents threatened to bomb the building, and the group inside surrendered, the official said, adding that the militants allowed the special forces soldiers to keep their weapons. The hostages were taken to an improvised ISIS headquarters in Mosul.