DIYARBAKIR (CIHAN) - Three Turkish hostages, released yesterday in Iraq by Al-Qaeda militants linked to Al Zerkavi, arrived in Turkey on Tuesday evening. The fortunate hostages met with their families on Tuesday at 11:00 pm in the province of Diyarbakir.
Freed hostage Abdulselam Bakir said that he would not go to Iraq anymore. Other freed hostage Mehmet Bakir said that their Muslim identity helped their release.
The Turkish workers were working at a Turkish air-conditioner company. They were abducted last Thursday by militants of the Jama'at al-Tawhid and Jihad which is linked to Abu Musab Al Zarkavi.
Yesterday, Al Jazeera television showed videos of masked militants reading a statement, saying "We decided to release the Turkish hostages for the sake of the Muslim people and to protest George Bush."
The Turkish workers said that they had gone to Iraq 20 days ago. Two workers arrived in Diyarbakir while one worker went to Ankara at the request of his company.
There was an outpour of sympathy and tears at the reunion of the freed hostages with their loved ones. The freed workers said that they were kidnapped by 10 heavily armed militants. "They treated us very well. We prayed together with the militants." The Turkish workers said that three Iraqi people were also held hostage with them by the militants. "The Militants beat one Iraqi accusing him of collaborating with US troops."
The captors had threatened to behead the Turkish hostages unless Turkish construction firms operating in Iraq leave the country within 72 hours.
Iraqi militants had beheaded a South Korean hostage last week when the South Korean government refused to withdraw its troops from Iraq.