JINHA

ŞIRNEX - Turkish police have raided the homes of co-mayors and other elected politicians in a large-scale operation in Şırnak province, where police violence has ravaged the town of Silopi recently.

Four civilians have died since last Friday in the Kurdish town of Silopi. Neighborhoods have been under police blockade for days, with police opening fire indiscriminately on civilian neighborhoods.Three have been arrested in simultaneous house raids across Şırnak province, which particularly targeted ten homes of activists and elected office-holders in the province.

Among the politicians and activists whose houses were targeted were Şırnak Municipality co-mayors Eylem Onuk and Serhat Kadırhan; Deputy Co-mayor Murat Kabul; and Municipality Council member Kamil Külper. Also targeted were local activists from the Democratic Regions Party (DBP):Salih Gülenç and Zozan Anık (provincial co-chairs); Ramazan Oğur (central district co-chair);and Leyla İşlek and Salih Ürek (party executives). Emirhan Uysal, chair of the Şırnak branch of the Human Rights Association, was also targeted.

Only Salih Ürek, Kamil Külper and Leyla İşlek have been arrested so far, as the other individuals targeted were not at home during the raids.

The large-scale operation came after Turkish President Erdoğan threatened that “they will pay the price," when thelocal People's Assembly's declared on Monday that all state institutions in Silopi have lost their legitimacy.

(nt/cm)