Ankara to keep secret behind hostage release

(MENAFN- Arab News) ANKARA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says his government will not reveal details of a covert operation that ensured the release of 49 people held hostage by the Islamic State group.

The hostages 46 Turks and three Iraqis were seized in Mosul Iraq when militants overran the city in June. They were released and returned to Turkey on Saturday.

Turkey says no ransom was paid and no promises were made but it remains unclear why the IS agreed to let them go.

Erdogan was addressing some of the hostages and their families on Sunday saying: 'There are things we cannot talk about. To run the state is not like running a grocery store. We have to protect sensitive issues if you don't there would be a price to pay.'

'A material negotiation is totally out of the question ... This is a diplomatic success' Erdogan said before leaving for a gathering of the UN General Assembly in New York.

'Our main duty was to think about the security of your lives. At the same time it is also our duty to think about Turkey's reputation' Erdogan said.

'For some coalition demands we could say yes immediately. But we could not say yes (to others) because we had 49 lives and we said that we can't take a step without resolving this.'

Asked if Turkey might now commit more strongly to the anti-IS coalition Erdogan gave no direct reply but said he and the government would evaluate the issue on his return from the UN General Assembly.

'What happens from now on is a separate issue ... We need to decide what kind of attitude to take' he said.