At least 31 die in Turkey's street protests

10/10/2014| IslamWeb

The death toll from ongoing pro-Kurdish protests in Turkey has risen to 31 after a man died after being injured in demonstrations in Turkey’s southeastern province of Diyarbakir.

Cumali Gunes, 29, passed away after being taken to the Dicle State Hospital for treatment following an attack between two-group protesters in the province, health officials said on Friday.

The death toll stands at 31 from the protests across the country: 11 in Diyarbakir, six in Mardin, five in Siirt, four in Gaziantep along with one each in provinces of Batman, Mus, Van, Adana and Istanbul.

The protests stemmed from the support of the Kurdistan Workers' Party calling for combat against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant forces besieging the border town of Kobani.

Terrorist violence also killed six people in the eastern city of Bingol on Thursday, including two police officers; Deputy Police Chief Atif Sahin and Chief Inspector Huseyin Hatipoglu.

The policemen in Bingol were carrying out a damage assessment of the protests when they were shot dead with long-barreled weapons.

The four terrorists who killed the police were shot while being pursued by them, Bingol Governorate said in a written statement.

Bingol province Police Chief Atalay Urker and police officer Ugur Adli were wounded in the attack.
Sahin died at the scene while Hatipoglu passed away in Bingol State Hospital.

Urker was taken to the Turkish capital in an air ambulance while Adli was treated at Bingol State Hospital.

Turkish officials have said the country is against supporting PYD (an offshoot of PKK in Syria) fighters in Kobani with military and financial aid, even if Turkey fights against ISIL.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey as well as by the U.S. and the European Union.

The nationwide protests broke out after ISIL-militants penetrated the Syrian Kurdish town of Kobani, known as Ayn al-Arab, on Monday.

The protesters have used the pretext that the Turkish government has allegedly done nothing to halt the relentless advance of the militant group in the Syrian city, which has become a scene of fierce street battles between Kurdish groups and ISIL militants.

Turkish Agriculture Minister Mehdi Eker stated Thursday that 116 people had been arrested in the violence, and charges were brought against an additional 294 people who had violated the curfew.

PHOTO CAPTION

Turkish soldiers in armored vehicles patrol the streets of Diyarbakir October 8, 2014.

AA