3 People Heading Out to Extinguish Fire Killed in Lice

Click to read the article in Turkish

Dicle News Agency has announced that Erdal Kocakaya (40) and Mevlüt Kocakaya (24) heading out to extinguish fire, which broke out as a result of bombardment have been killed in Mehlê hamlet of Diyarbakır’s Lice.

DİHA changed its article on July 1 and reported that the deceased was not Erdal Kocakaya but his elder brother Mehmet Şirin Kocakaya who used his ID. It also announced that the person named M.K. didn’t die. The article also covered the information that two unidentified people were taken to the morgue of Diyarbakır Training Research Hospital along with Mehmet Şirin Kocakaya.

According to Dicle News Agency’s report, 20 people attempted to head for conflict zone 200 meters away from Mehlêhamlet in Kerwas (Yalaza) village.

The group was stopped by special operation forces.

The report stated that Erdal and Mevlüt Kocakaya living in the village with their family were killed by the police while they were trying to extinguish the fire, which broke out in the village because of the offensives.

Journalist Sertaç Kayar shared the following photos tweeting "A villager's tent has been sent on fire along with villager's properties".

Asiye Söğüt: We are surrounded by fire, get us out of here

The villagers told that the fire spread to almost village rural. Aid call was made for evacuation of the villagers.

Asiye Söğüt who was stuck in the basement of her house in Derxust village of the district expressed the following:

“The village is being bombed by jets. We are four people sheltered in the basement of the house. We can’t go outside. Booms and gunshots are coming from all around. We can’t leave the house.

“We don’t know whether there is anyone in the village. At the moment there is me, my brother-in-law Ali Söğüt, my sister-in-law Adile Söğüt and 10-year-old A.S. at home. Ali is 70 years old and sick.

“Fire surrounded the whole village, get us out of here immediately”.

Curfews and military operation

Curfew was declared in 25 villages including Oyuklu, Kutlu, Türeli, Şenlik, Birlik, Erginköy and Elmadere of five districts of Diyarbakır on June 21.

Two days later, Diyarbakır Governorship Provincial Gendarmerie Commandership declared curfew in 39 villages in three districts and that declared 21 areas private security zones.