Turkey says no ransom paid for release of hostages held by Islamic State

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday no ransom had been paid for the release of Turkish hostages held by Islamic State but he declined to be drawn on whether their release freed Turkey's hand to take a more active stance against the insurgents.

Turkish intelligence agents brought 46 hostages seized by Islamic State militants in northern Iraq back to Turkey on Saturday after more than three months in captivity, in what Erdogan described as a covert rescue operation.