Clashes erupt on Turkey’s streets, at least 31 people killed
At least 31 people have been killed and 360 others wounded
in four days of violent protests in Turkey by Kurdish demonstrators. The
demonstrators are frustrated by the government's lack of action to save the
Syrian town of Kobane from a jihadist militant takeover.
Police used tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons
against a students in Ankara, namely those protesting in support of Syrian
Kurds in Kobani at the Middle Eastern Technical University (ODTÜ) campus and at
Ankara University. At least 25 people have been detained. Turkish troops and
tanks were deployed to restore order. Curfews were imposed in five provinces.
However, the curfew was broken in the southeastern province
of Gaziantep on Thursday night when clashes broke out between pro-Kurdish
activists and their opponents. The rival groups attacked each other with
pistols, rifles and axes, leaving at least 20 people injured.
Kurdish forces say they have stalled the advance of Islamic
State (IS) militants in the town after more American airstrikes overnight.
Turkish forces are standing by near Kobane but the
government in Ankara has refused to send them into action, or to establish a
safe corridor to ferry fighters and supplies to the besieged Kurdish fighters. Foreign
minister Mevlut Cavusoglu commented on the situation "It is not
realistic to expect Turkey to conduct a ground operation on its own,"
Washington has suggested that Ankara is not pulling it’s own
weight, but the Turkish government resents this. Cavusoglu went on to say that "We
are holding talks ... Once there is a common decision, Turkey will not hold
back from playing its part."
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