Erdogan says, 'We're close to access the kidnapped pilots'

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated they would access the kidnapped Turkish pilots as soon as possible and added they would achieve a positive result at any moment. Erdogan held a telephone call on Friday with Dilek Akpinar to celebrate her Eid al-Adha, wife of kidnapped Turkish pilot Murat Akpinar. "We are close to the happy and good ending. We can achieve a positive result at any moment," Erdogan told Dilek Akpinar.  Turkish pilot Murat Akpinar and his assistant Murat Agca had been abducted on August 9, 2013 in Beirut after a shuttle carrying the pilot, assistant pilot and crew was stopped by four gunmen on the way from the airport to the hotel. A group named "Visitors of Imam Reza" claimed responsibility for the abduction of the two Turkish pilots, and made a statement that they would release the Turkish pilots in exchange of 9 Lebanese nationals held as hostages in Syria. Two pilots had appeared on Monday on Lebanese LBC TV channel and they seemed in good health.