ROISSY-EN-FRANCE, France (AP) — A French journalist who was detained for 51 days in Turkey on charges of aiding a terror group has returned to France, saying his sudden release came as a surprise.

Loup Bureau, a 27 year-old freelance journalist, was arrested in southeastern Turkey on July 26 while reporting on Kurds living near the Iraqi border.

He was freed Friday, the day after French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara. Several media groups had appealed for his release.

After touching ground in Paris Charles-de-Gaulle airport, he told journalists "it was a bit of a surprise, as there were no signs announcing my release."

Bureau said he was "well treated" while in prison. He says "today I am exhausted but extremely happy to be here."