Turkey's main opposition leader welcomes release of 49 hostages
“I say welcome to freedom and to your country to our brothers and citizens who were liberated after being held hostage for 101 days in the hands of the terror organization ISIL [Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant],” said Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the head of the Republican People’s Party (CHP).
“I am very happy our hostages were liberated in safely without any loss,” he said in a statement made after the release.
He also expressed his gratitude and his respects to all that contributed to planning and implementing the successful rescue operation.
The CHP leader also congratulated Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu during a phone call. According to the office of the prime ministry, Kılıçdaroğlu thanked to everyone for their efforts to this end. In return, Davutoğlu thanked Kılıçdaroğlu for calling him to extend his congratulatory message and emphasized the need to be “one and together and to share the happiness of the nation."