Abducted Soldiers Released

(ANF) Four soldiers abducted by guerrillas yesterday in the province of Diyarbakir have been released. They were handed over to members of the BDP who then delivered them to military authorites and the local district governor, Tunahan Efendioğlu.

The soldiers were abducted last night on the Fis Plain in the Lice district of Diyarbakir. They were surrendered to a committee of BDP members that included Zübeyde Zümrüt and Mehmet Emin Yilmaz in the village of Yolçatı (Sîsê) who then turned them over to military authorities at the Duru base who had been notified of their return in advance. The soldiers were in good condition and no mistreatment has been reported. Three of the soldiers – Seargant Melik Dikyol, Seargant Hakan Özer and Specialist Erbaş Uğur Sert – belonged to the 49th Motorized Infantry Battalion while the fourth, Specialist Ali Akdemir, is assigned to a unit in Erzurum.

A large scale military presence is reported in the area and operations to locate the guerillas is reportedly continuing. Journalists are not being allowed in the area and soldiers are turning back vehicacls by ‘presidential order’.