Conflicts of Neighborhood Heads in 7 Provinces: 67 People Wounded, 11 Detained

* Photograph: Mehmet Sıddık Kaya – Diyarbakır / AA

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Conflicts have arisen between neighborhood head candidates in some districts of Mardin, Diyarbakır, İstanbul, Adana, Urfa and Ankara.

The Mezopotamya Agency (MA) has reported that 33 people have been wounded in disputes and conflicts that arose in 4 districts of Diyarbakır.

As reported by Demirören News Agency (DHA), five people have been wounded and two people have been detained in two disputes in Mardin.

The DHA has further reported that 25 people in total have also been injured in conflicts in the southeastern province of Urfa. In Antep, another southeastern province of, two people have been wounded in a conflict.

In Kadıköy, İstanbul, it has been reported that one person has been stabbed in a dispute between neighborhood candidates. Seven people have also been detained after a dispute that occured in Esenyurt. Another person has also been wounded in the capital city of Ankara.

According to the MA, two people have also been taken into custody in disputes that occured in Turkey's Meditteranean province of Adana. 

33 people wounded in Diyarbakır

Kocaköy

In the Evliya Çelebi Secondary School in the Neighborhood of Barış in Diyarbakır, where eight people are competing to be elected the neighborhood head (mukhtar), one of the candidates attempted to distribute his voting papers inside the school. After another mukhtar candidate objected to it, a dispute erupted between the two sides.

The dispute evolved into a fight with sticks, stones and knives. Two people have been stabbed during the incident. Several ambulances and police officers have been referred to the scene of incident and the wounded have been sent to the hospitals in the vicinity.

Cüngüş

In the neighborhood of Keleşevleri in the district of Cüngüş, a conflict has occured between people competing to become nighborhood heads. 12 people have been wounded in total as a result of this incident.

Dicle and Lice

An armed conflict has arised between neighborhood head candidates in the neighbprhood of Baltacı in Dicle. While four people have been wounded in the incident, several ambulances have been referreed to the area.

In the Center and Lice districts of Diyarbakır, three other people have been injured in similar conflicts.

Dispute in Mardin: 5 people wounded

Artuklu

A fight with sticks and stones also erupted between the mukhtar candidates in the Neighborhood of Dara in Artuklu, Mardin.

Competing to become the head of the neighborhood, İbrahim Bilgiç and İsmail Bilem had a quarrel for an unknown reason.

Three people have been injured in the incident which also evolved into a fight with stones and sticks. While the paramedics have treated the injured, the gendarmerie have taken security measures in the neighborhood.

Midyat

In another dispute that erupted between mukhtar candidates in Midyat, Mardin, two people have been stabbed. Police officers have detained two people who involved in the incident. The names of the wounded are announced as Adil Özgün (37) and Hamit Özgün (65).

Disputes in İstanbul

Kadıköy

A group of 15 people, who are the relatives of two people competing to be elected as the nighborhood head, had a row inside the Kadıköy Nihat Işık Primary School in İstanbul.

The police took the group out of the school; however, they continued fighting in front of the school as well. One person has been stabbed in his chest. The relatives of the stabbed person opened fire.

Police officers intervened in the incident and detained the one who opened fire. The police are still working to catch the ones who have escaped. 

Esenyurt

A dispute erupted between the neighborhood head candidates at the Güzelyurt Ali Çelebi Secondary School in Esenyurt, İstanbul.

Police intervened in the incident. Seven people from the two groups have been taken into custody. 

Detention in Adana

A dispute that erupted between the mukhtar candidates at a high school in the neighborhood of Emek in Seyhan, Adana, has turned into a conflict. While several people have been wounded, the police fired into the air and intervened in the conflicting parties. Two people have been detained. 

Urfa

In Urfa, 25 people have been reportedly wounded in conflicts that arose between neighborhood head candidates in the districts of Harran Akçakale, Birecik, Haliliye, Eyyübiye and Karaköprü center.

The wounded have been referred to hospitals in the city center. 

Ankara

At the Sokullu Primary School in Dikmen, Ankara, a conflict arose between current mukhtar Ahmet Baydar and the candidate Sezai Aksoy. One person has been stabbed in the incident. 

Antep

In a conflict that arose between the neighborhood head candidates in the Neighborhood of Işıklar in Şehitkamil district of Antep, İbrahim Alkan and his cousin Mehmet Alkan have stabbed each other during the voting process at school. (TP/SD)