One of detained Anadolu Agency staffers in Egypt released

By Mahmut Geldi

ANKARA (AA) - One of Anadolu Agency's four employees, who were detained in Egypt earlier this week, has been released, the agency’s director general said on Thursday evening.

In an announcement, Senol Kazanci said that Hilmi Balci, a Turkish citizen, has been released.

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

The whereabouts of remaining three detainees remain unknown.

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

Kazanci said he expects the remaining employees of Anadolu Agency will be released soon.

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