Turkey accused of prisoner swap with Islamic State

Ankara allegedly traded Islamic State-affiliated prisoners last Saturday for Turkish consulate members captured in Mosul, in a possible violation of a UN resolution.

The claim was published on Tuesday by the Turkish English language newspaper the Hurriyet Daily and alleges that 50 Islamic State members held by a Syrian rebel group were released in exchange for 49 embassy employees abducted in June.

A source who spoke with the Hurriyet Daily said that Liwa al-Tawhid, an offshoot of the Free Syrian Army, had agreed to release the Islamic State-affiliated prisoners after a series of negotiations between the three parties.

The wife and children of Haji Bakr, an Islamic State leader who was killed in Aleppo in February, were among those held by the rebel group currently battling the Assad regime.

The source also stated that the Turkish diplomatic mission of 46 Turks and 3 Iraqis was released at the Akcakale border crossing only after the Islamic State-affiliated prisoners were freed by their captors.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan did not confirm reports of a swap, although he noted that “diplomatic bargaining” had occurred between Ankara and an unspecified group.

“Whether a swap has taken place or not, our 49 citizens returned to Turkey,” Erdogan added in a speech made a day after the alleged swap. “Even if this swap took place, as the president, I always look after my 49 citizens. Nothing can be of more value than my citizens.”

Although Erdogan strongly denied giving the Islamic State any form of ransom payment, the move may violate a UN resolution accepted by Ankara this month that prevents it from negotiating with the Islamic State or providing it with “political concessions” to secure the release of hostages.