19 suspects arrested over armed attack on AK Party members
Turkish police Saturday detained 19 suspects after a deadly assault against ruling AK Part members campaigning in Şanlıurfa's Suruç district near the Syrian border.
- Türkiye
- Agencies and A News
- Published Date: 12:00 | 16 June 2018
- Modified Date: 12:42 | 16 June 2018
At least 19 suspects, including an opposition Peoples' Democratic Party's (HDP) candidate for parliament, were arrested on Saturday in connection with an armed attack on ruling Justice and Development (AK) party members in southeast Turkey.
AK Party members -- including MP Ibrahim Halil Yıldız -- campaigning on Thursday were attacked by an armed group in Şanlıurfa's Suruç district, leaving four people dead and eight injured.
Although Yıldız survived the attack with no injuries, his older brother Mehmet Ali Yıldız died after succumbing to his wounds in the hospital.
The Şanlıurfa Governorship said in a statement that Yıldız, accompanied by a group of people, was visiting tradesmen in the center of Suruç when a discussion turned into a fight.
19 suspects including İsmail Kaplan, HDP's lawmaker candidate for Şanlıurfa, and some district officials of HDP and Democratic Regions Party (DBP) were arrested after chief public prosecutor's office in southeastern Şanlıurfa province issued arrest warrants for 23 suspects.