5 yıl önce

Turkey arrests four mayors over alleged terror links

At least 20 municipal officials were also arrested along with HDP mayors from Savur, Derik and Mazidagi districts of Mardin and Suruc district of Sanliurfa as part of ongoing terrorism investigations, provincial prosecutors said.

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Sanliurfa's Suruc district Mayor Hatice Cevik was arrested as part of ongoing terrorism investigations, provincial prosecutors said. In this picture from November 15, 2019, police can be seen surrounding the Suruc Municipality building as a police search continues inside.

Turkish authorities arrested four mayors, along with 20 municipal officials in southeastern provinces, judicial sources said Friday. The arrests were made over their suspected links to a terror group, the prosecutors said.

Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) mayors Gulistan Oncu in Savur, Mulkiye Esmez in Derik, Nalan Ozaydin in Mazidagi districts of Mardin and Hatice Cevik in Suruc district of Sanliurfa were arrested. Another 20 municipal officials were also taken in as part of ongoing terrorism investigations, provincial prosecutors said.

Turkey’s interior ministry removed three mayors in prominent cities in mid-August. Mayors from Diyarbakir, Mardin, and Van were suspended on the grounds that they are linked to the PKK, designated a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US, NATO and the EU.

They all were from the HDP, which Turkey's government accuses of having links to the PKK terror group.

In the PKK terrorist organisation's 30-year terror campaign against the Turkish state, more than 40,000 people, including women and children, have been killed.

SOURCE: AA