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ANKARA, Aug 18 (Reuters) - A Turkish passenger plane heading for Istanbul from northern Cyprus was hijacked on Saturday and forced to land for refuelling in southern Turkey, the airline said.

Some passengers were freed after the plane landed in Antalya, Atlas Jet CEO Tuncay Doganer told reporters. Private broadcaster NTV reported that passengers had forced open the rear door of the plane and all the passengers had escaped.

The hijackers had said they wanted the plane to go to Iran, Doganer told reporters. NTV quoted one witness as saying the hijackers had said they were members of al Qaeda and another as saying the hijackers spoke Arabic and said they wanted to go to Syria. NTV reported there were two hijackers.

There were 136 passengers on board the plane, which was flying from Ercan airport in Turkish-backed northern Cyprus to Istanbul when it was hijacked.

Cyprus, a major tourist destination for Europeans, is divided between the internationally recognised government in the south and an enclave in the north recognised only by Ankara.

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