Turkish police use water cannon against pro-Kurd protesters in Diyarbakir
Police have deployed tear gas and water cannon against several thousand protesters gathered in the streets of the Turkish city of Diyarbakir to condemn security operations against Kurdish militants, Reuters reports.
READ MORE: Turkish troops 'raiding civilian houses' in Kurdish city of Silopi
The massive protest in Turkey’s southeast coincided with a conference at which Selahattin Demirtas, the co-leader of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), urged public "resistance" against the operations.
Diyarbakır'da Sur'a yürümek isteyen gruba polis müdahalesi https://t.co/zw22fCTvjmpic.twitter.com/MnH0iu9EyF
— isthaber (@isthaber) December 18, 2015
Diyarbakir Province is a stronghold of the Turkish Kurds. The city of Diyarbakir has been repeatedly flooded by anti-government protests. The latest was held on Monday, when people rallied against round-the-clock curfews being imposed in the region. At least seven Kurds were killed following clashes with Turkish security forces.
READ MORE: Seven Kurds killed in clashes with Turkish troops as Ankara’s crackdown continues
Diyarbakır'da Sur'a yürümek isteyen gruba polis müdahalesi
https://t.co/C2tUofAKebpic.twitter.com/KVgQ4LXaMN
— Yarın (@yarinhaber) December 18, 2015
Dozens of Kurds have been killed in recent months following clashes with police in the province. Earlier, the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey reported of a total of 52 curfews imposed since mid-August across seven provinces in the region, affecting areas where some 1.3 million people live.
READ MORE: Turkish police fire tear gas at protesters dissatisfied with election results
Diyarbakır'da sokağa çıkma yasağını protesto etmek isteyen grup taşkınlık yapınca polis müdahale etti
Gözaltılar var pic.twitter.com/e34yuZDLMI
— HALKIN PORTALI ⚡ (@HalkinPortali) December 18, 2015
Diyarbakir ofiste ki halkın demokratik yürüyüşüne polisler uyarı yapmadan saldırdı.
#Demirtaşpic.twitter.com/F0NgsAwhWt
— çekdar (@byn_cek) December 18, 2015
Diyarbakır Sur'da polis müdahalesi! https://t.co/NufY9BtXD2pic.twitter.com/UbrzVbFice
— VeHaber (@vehaberorg) December 18, 2015
On Thursday, reports emerged that the Turkish Army had sent military vehicles, including tanks, into civilian areas in its predominantly-Kurdish southeast. The Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) has been publishing photos of what it says is a fresh raid by the Turkish Army ever since the incursion began.
Yanan evler! #Silopipic.twitter.com/mLdCJn9J49
— Ferhat Encu (@FerhatEncu) December 18, 2015