Ex-hostages face neglect charges

Eight Turkish troops taken hostage by Kurdish rebels after a deadly ambush have been charged with neglecting their duty during the clash, a defense attorney said.

The Oct. 21 ambush, which killed 12 other soldiers, had increased pressure on Turkey’s government to attack Kurdish rebel bases in northern Iraq -- an operation the U.S. has discouraged for fear of destabilizing a relatively calm part of that country.

Rebels released the eight soldiers this month. They were charged Saturday with “disobedience that could lead to a major catastrophe” and “undermining military discipline,” said lawyer Ramazan Korkmaz, who represents the soldiers. Two of the soldiers also face a charge of “escaping abroad.”