Davutoglu meets families of kidnapped pilots in Lebanon

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu met on Tuesday with the families of two Turkish pilots who were kidnapped last month in the Lebanese capital city of Beirut. As part of the meeting, Davutoglu called on the families of the Turkish pilots abducted in early August to have faith in the government. "We are doing our utmost to help our pilots rejoin their families, as we have done for our citizens previously in similar instances," Davutoglu said. After the meeting, Irfan Medet Akpinar, brother of kidnapped pilot Murat Akpinar, said the minister shared up-to-date information about the situation of the pilots. "We have received current and accurate information and we are more hopeful now. Our belief that both pilots will be returned to us has strengthened. We have held this held belief since the beginning and will continue to do so," Akpinar told reporters. Underlining that his speech would also be broadcast in Lebanon, Akpinar said, "My dear brother, dear Murat Agca, do not worry. Both our government and our nation are powerful. Be strong there. You don't have any fault. You did not even harm anyone. You were kidnapped solely for political reasons, but all of Turkey is with you. All the units of the government are with you. We, as your family, are with you. We are strong and nothing can take this power from us."