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Turkey Swapped 180 IS Militants For 49 Hostages

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  • Turkey Swapped 180 IS Militants For 49 Hostages

    TURKEY SWAPPED 180 IS MILITANTS FOR 49 HOSTAGES

    An employee (C) at Turkey's consulate in Mosul is welcomed by her
    relatives at Esenboga airport in Ankara, Sept. 20, 2014. (photo
    by REUTERS)

    Turkey swapped 180 IS militants for 49 hostages

    Author: Taraf (Turkey)Posted October 2, 2014

    Details of the exchange made with the Islamic State (IS) to release
    49 Turkish hostages are becoming clearer after President Recep Tayyip
    Erdogan signaled at an exchange by saying, "So what if there was
    an exchange?"

    Summaryâ~N~Y Print Details have emerged of a prisoner exchange
    previously mentioned by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

    Author Huseyin OzayPosted October 2, 2014 Translator(s)Timur Goksel
    Original Article ORÄ°JÄ°NAL YAZIYI TURKCE OKUYABÄ°LÄ°RSÄ°NÄ°Z

    In return for the consulate personnel, 180 militants were handed
    over to IS, including some senior officials of the organization:
    180 IS personnel were first assembled at Van and then delivered to
    IS in batches.

    This is the background of the release of the 49 hostages:

    The process began with the US air attacks against IS. The United
    States asked Turkey not to release IS militants undergoing medical
    treatment in Turkey and warned Turkey not to free IS people apprehended
    in Turkey. IS, for its part, pressed the government to release the
    detained IS personnel and those undergoing treatment.

    The AKP government, squeezed by the United States and IS, then
    developed an exchange formula to hand over IS militants in Turkey in
    return for hostages. It was claimed that with this diplomatic formula
    Turkey ensured the release of the hostages while getting rid of the
    IS people on its territory. Turkish security units were not directly
    engaged in an operation during the release of the hostages.

    Notables of pro-US Iraqi tribes played an important role in the
    exchange process. After the agreement was reached, IS brought the
    hostages to the border and informed the Turkish National Intelligence
    Organization (MIT). There, Turkish security units took over the
    hostages. The release of IS militants followed the release of Turkish
    hostages and took about one week. IS militants undergoing medical
    treatment and those detained in prisons were brought forth and held
    in Van before being delivered to IS in batches. It is not yet known
    whether the IS militants who attacked police at Nigde were among those
    handed over. Reports say they were included in the initial list of IS
    militants to be released, but were taken off the list after reactions.

    No weapons were given or money paid for the hostages. But in the
    very first days of the crisis, a certain amount of money was paid to
    IS officials. Release of hostages also revealed three power centers
    involved in the issue. After the release of hostages, the presidency,
    the prime ministry and MIT mobilized their supporters in the media to
    play up and glorify their roles. This was seen as the first secret
    power struggle in Ankara since Erdogan became president. Ankara
    political circles say this was the way MIT chief Hakan Fidan conveyed
    a message of "I count also."

    Read more:
    http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/security/2014/10/turkey-iraq-syria-isis-hostages.html?utm_source=Al-Monitor+Newsletter+%5bEnglish%5d&utm_campaign=a8f8 f63725-October_3_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_28264b2 7a0-a8f8f63725-100367169##ixzz3F7S31Ulm

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