Dozens of Turkish hostages seized by the Islamic State group in Iraq were freed Saturday, but the circumstances of their release – which drew flag waving crowds to the Turkish capital’s airport – were clouded in mystery. (Sept. 20)
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SHOTLIST:
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Ankara, Turkey – 20 September 2014
1. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu waving as he disembarks plane, some of the Turkish freed hostages surrounding him
2. Relatives running towards plane
3. Davutoglu holding hands with Ozturk Yilmaz, the Turkish Consul General in Mosul, who was one of the hostages, as they disembark plane
4. Relatives waiting on tarmac
5. Davutoglu hugging and kissing Yilmaz on his forehead
6. Mid of freed hostages and relatives on tarmac
7. Various of freed hostages and relatives hugging
8. Mid of freed hostages and relatives in group shot
9. Wide of scene
STORYLINE:
Dozens of Turkish hostages seized by the Islamic State group in Iraq were freed Saturday, resolving a serious crisis which Turkish officials had long cited as a reason to avoid moving aggressively against the violent militant group.
The 49 hostages were captured from the Turkish Consulate in Mosul, Iraq on June 11, when the Islamic State group overran the city in its surge to seize large swaths of Iraq and Syria. But the circumstances of their release – which drew flag waving crowds to the Turkish capital’s airport – were clouded in mystery.
