Edirne miners lock themselves 1,200 meters underground demanding unpaid wages

Miners in Edirne, northwestern Turkey, launched a strike 1,200 meters underground on Jun 13, demanding their unpaid wages. The miners had previously been protesting for more than three weeks.

Today, gunfire was heard at the scene above ground, the Independent Mine Workers Union (Bağımsız Maden İş) announced. No casualties were reported after the incident.

Three shots were fired while union members and resisting workers' families were at the scene, the union said, sharing videos of the incident: 

Özşen madencisine yapılan silahlı saldırıda, silah sesinin duyulduğu anları kamuoyu ile paylaşıyoruz.

Bu işten yakanızı kurtaramayacaksınız. Haklıyız, sonuna kadar mücadele edeceğiz.#KiremitçiyeHuzurYok pic.twitter.com/HTHGYYOlV1

— Bağımsız Maden İş (@bagimsizmadenis) June 14, 2026

Başaran Aksu, an executive of the union, said the shots were fired when the group began walking toward the company building. He called for the arrest of the assailants. 

Meanwhile, the union said Aksu was summoned to give a statement to the police following a complaint by Barış Kiremitçi, owner of the Özşen Madencilik company.

Miners' families protest near the company by striking helmets against the ground:

Zafere kadar daima!

Bugün önce madencilere, ailelerine ve sendika yöneticilerimize yönelik silahlı saldırı gerçekleşti. Ardından Bekir Kiremitçi’nin adamları madencilere ve ailelerine saldırdı.

Bilinsin ki biz ailelerimizle birlikte buradayız, direniyoruz.

Devlet kararını… pic.twitter.com/Jf8ypsqFft

— Bağımsız Maden İş (@bagimsizmadenis) June 14, 2026

The mining industry in Turkey has expanded significantly over the past few years as the government opened large areas to exploitation. This expansion has led to a rise in protests from both miners and local residents whose land is affected by the operations. Earlier this month, miners from Eskişehir concluded a protest over wages unpaid since April, which had culminated in a march to the capital city of Ankara.

Doruk Madencilik miners receive all unpaid dues after resuming protest

5 June 2026

The miners brought their protest underground on Jun 13, declaring that they confined themselves there "after we are left with no other choice."

"Today marks the 25th day of our resistance. For the past 24 days, we have tried every possible means to make our voices heard above ground. There has been no agreement or progress of any kind from any source.

"As of today, we have begun a hunger strike underground alongside our comrades. Let no one try to force us out; we are determined in this cause. We will either die or secure our rights. We will not leave until our rights are granted.

"Today, we declare this to all of Turkey from here: those responsible for this situation are the very people accountable for the miners' lives and safety underground.

"You cannot cut back on people's bread, their hard-earned wages, or their families. People here have reached a point where they cannot even go home out of shame."

MADENCİLER KENDİLERİNİ YERALTINA KAPATTI!

Özşen maden işçileri direnişin 25. gününde kendilerini yeraltına kapatarak açlık grevine başladı. "Haklarımız verilinceye kadar çıkmıyoruz."

Ya saygın bir uzlaşı ya da tavizsiz direniş!#KiremitçiyeHuzurYok pic.twitter.com/VA4zFWldFN

— Bağımsız Maden İş (@bagimsizmadenis) June 13, 2026

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