Turkey's Erdogan says hostages released in 'pre-planned operation'
ISTANBUL - The release on Saturday of 49 Turkish hostages seized by Islamic State insurgents in northern Iraq in June was part of a "pre-planned operation" by Turkish intelligence, President Tayyip Erdogan said in a statement cited by broadcaster NTV.
The hostages, including Turkey's consul-general, diplomats' children and special forces soldiers, were brought safely into Turkey by its MIT intelligence agency in the early hours of Saturday, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said earlier.
