We have seen with regret that certain allegations regarding the physical wellbeing of our Consul General in Mosul and the staff of our Consulate General who have been held hostage by the ISIL since 11 June 2014 have been reported in the written and visual media today (1 September). These allegations are baseless.

Any such information must be verified and the reliability of its source must be checked before being published, as it can have severe adverse consequences on the families and relatives of the personnel of our Consulate General in Mosul.

The Turkish State has been conducting extremely sensitive efforts since the first day when the staff of our Consulate General in Mosul have been taken hostage. Preserving the life safety of our personnel and providing accurate information to the public remain our priorities while these efforts are being carried out.