Turkish hostages freed in Iraq

Two Turkish hostages were freed in Iraq today, only days after their employer agreed to stop doing business with the US military.

The hostage takers, who identified themselves as the Mujahadeen Brigade, freed the two men after their employer, Kayteks, met their demands.

“They have been released,” said a Turkish official. “They are on the way to their company in Iraq.”

The two hostages – Soner Sercali, an air conditioning repairman, and his co-worker Murat Kizil – were reported missing on June 1.

Last week, Sercali’s father Feridun said their employer, Kayteks, had agreed to stop working as a contractor for the US military in Iraq to win their release.

The two hostages were allowed to call their families last week to say they would be freed within a week.

Thousands of Turks work as truck drivers or contractors in Iraq. The kidnapped Turks were accused of working for the US occupiers.

Three other Turkish hostages were freed on Tuesday.

More than 40 people from several countries have been abducted in Iraq since April, many of them released or freed.

But three have been killed – an American and a South Korean, and an Italian.