All Anadolu Agency staffers released after detention in Egypt

By Mahmut Geldi

ANKARA (AA) - All of Anadolu Agency staffers, who were detained by Egyptian police earlier this week, were released, said the agency head on Sunday.

“All our staff members, detained in Egypt on Jan. 14 have been released,” Anadolu Agency Director General Senol Kazanci said.

On Tuesday evening, Egyptian police raided the Cairo office of Anadolu Agency and detained four employees.

Hilmi Balci, one of four detained in Egypt, was released last Thursday and he came to Turkey.

Kazanci said three Egyptian citizens of Anadolu Agency staff were released on Sunday for some $600 bail on each.

Turkey and the international community had condemned the raid and called for the immediate release of the staffers.

Turkey’s political relations with Egypt have remained rocky since 2013, when Mohamed Morsi -- Egypt's first freely elected president and a Muslim Brotherhood leader -- was ousted in a bloody military coup.

* Writing by Fahri Aksut