Child abuse incident leads to anti-refugee protests in Urfa

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Residents of the southeastern city of Urfa in Turkey took to the streets last night following a case of child abuse, and tensions escalated as they targeted businesses run by Syrian refugees.

The incident allegedly involves F.K., a 21-year-old Syrian refugee working in a bakery in the Bozova district, who is accused of sexually abusing a 9-year-old boy identified as M.K.N. The incident, said to have occurred on August 14, prompted citizens to hand F.K. over to the police. After his statement at the police station, F.K. was brought before the court and subsequently arrested.

Upon news of the incident spreading within the city, local residents took to the streets last night. A large crowd gathered in front of the Bozova Sub-governor's Office building and directed their anger towards businesses owned by Syrian refugees.

During the protests, some shop windows were shattered, prompting a heightened presence of police and gendarmerie around the district governorship building and throughout the area.

As the crowd in front of the governorship building refused to disperse, the police resorted to using water cannons and tear gas to disperse them.

Bozova Mayor Suphi Aksoy appealed for calm and called on the crowd to exercise restraint.

Meanwhile, the Urfa Governor's Office issued a written statement in the wake of the events, confirming the arrest of the suspect and the initiation of support services for the child involved. (RT/VK)