Two Dismissed After Flag Take Down

Regarding the incident of taking down Turkish flag in Diyarbakır district, “Two security officers in charge of exterior security were dismissed,” Ministry of Internal Affairs declared. 

Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation on the incident of lowering the Turkish flag on flagstaff at Diyarbakır 2nd Air Force Command by a protestor.

The declaration of Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that both Ministry of Internal Affairs and Turkish Air Force Command have launched an investigation as well regarding the incident of lowering the Turkish flag within the military post of 2nd Air Force Command by a protester with a covered face while the funeral march of Ramazan Baran, a protestor killed by the soldiers during the protest in Lice district, was held. The declaration remarked that two security officers in charge of exterior security were dismissed.

Turkish Army: We act in a calm manner

Turkish Armed Forces also issued a statement on incident as below;

“On June 8, 2014 an illegal gathering and demonstration were held in Diyarbakır’s Bağlar district by the groups gathered in order to bury the funeral of a person who lost his life in Diyarbakır's Lice district on June 7, 2014,” it said.

“The rioters assaulted by throwing stones to the porter's lodge located in Northern Security Gate belong to 2nd Air Force Command, closed to the cemetery in which the relevant funeral was buried,” it added. 

“Among the protestors including few kids, a person with a closed face climbed to the flagstaff by jumping over the outer security gate and entering the vehicle control area within two wire fence. Two warning shots were performed by the team sent to the area in order to warn the relevant protestor, but even the verbal warning; the relevant protestor took down our flag,” it explained. 

“We, our army, make an effort to act in a cool manner as a response to such demonstrations that are tried the patience, aimed for a provocation and civilians’ deaths in order to lead mass demonstrations,” the declaration concluded.  (AS/CB/BM)

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.