The Kurdish militant group, the PKK, has released eight Turkish hostages it has held in northern Iraq for two years, sources at the scene say.
"We have safely received the prisoners," Husamettin Zemberlioglu, a Kurdish politician said.
The move is being seen as part of efforts to end the three-decade conflict between Turkey and the PKK.
Last month the jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan called for prisoners to be released by both sides.
The eight people handed over on Wednesday are reported to include both soldiers and local government workers.
Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister, Besir Atalay, welcomed their release as "a gesture of goodwill".
"The [peace] process is going just fine. There is big public support, expectation and hope," Mr Atalay was quoted as saying by the state-run Anatolia news agency, before the handover was completed.
Anthea:
Abdullah Ocalan called for prisoners to be released by both sides
I see NO sign of goodwill from Turkey. I see NO sign of Kurdish prisoners having been released
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21767957
