Nine Turkish drivers in Syria freed

The six drivers released by the Syrian Customs Court in Aleppo were expected to return to Turkey in the early morning yesterday, if the bureaucratic procedures were finished. Their names were reported as being Ozdemir Yagmurlu, Celal Yildirim, Hulusi Yasar, Molla Ceylan, Muhammed Hayri Yilmaz and Mustafa Kemal Kilic by the agency.

Three other drivers who were detained in Idlip were also released after they paid a fine charged by the court and the remaining 18 were expected to appear in front of the judge yesterday, Aleppo Chief Consulate Hulusi Kilic told Anatolia.

"In Syria, procedures and the judicial process are proceeding gradually. We are carrying on with the diplomacy traffic," Kilic was quoted as saying. He added he hoped the issue will be closed soon.

Syrian security officials detained 27 Turkish truck drivers last week for carrying excessive amounts of fuel-oil on their return from Iraq. The Turkish government was considering transporting goods to Iraq via Syria due to the increased attacks on Turkish drivers by Iraqi insurgents. However, on the same day Damascus banned Turkish companies from using Syrian railways to ship fuel-oil and petroleum products to Iraq, said news reports.