Unrest in Muş Province Over Statue Incident

While some local business owners protested the removal of PKK leader statue and death of protestor by keeping their shutters across the southeastern province of Muş, protestors blocked a road in Varto district, causing vehicle damage. 

According to Yüksekova Haber website, security forces intervened protestors today with tear gas and water cannon, as well as real bullets. 

The rising of tensions left more than 10 people hospitalized with 1 protestor suffering from head trauma transferred to surgery. 

Following the spillover of protest to downtown Varto towards this afternoon, special-ops police entered the district. Demonstrators, on the other hand, have reportedly removed police surveillance cameras from their posts and set barricades throughout the side streets.  

According to Muş Gündem Newspaper, local business owners in Bulanık district didn’t go to work today. Muş Ovası Newspaper claimed that a minivan and truck were burnt down in nearby villages.  

Günaydın Muş newspaper reported that the aforementioned truck was initially used as barricade, which was later on detonated by protestors after police intervention. (EKN/BM)

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.