At Least 18 Reported Dead in Kobane Protests

Protests condemning the ISIS advance in Kobane left at least 18 dead across Turkey last night. 

Agriculture Minister Mehdi Eker made a press statement in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır, saying that along with 10 people in  Diyarbakır, a total of 18 people died in last night's protests. 

According to various newspapers, 8 were reported dead in Diyarbakır, 2 in Mardin, 2 in Siirt, 1 in Batman and 1 in Muş. 

Diyarbakır Province Police Commissioner Halis Böğürcü said 5 out of those who died in Diyarbakır were affiliated with Hüda-Par (Free Cause) - a Kurdish-based Sunni Islamist political party. 

While Turkey’s semi-official Anatolia Agency declared the death toll as 12, Fırat News Agency (ANF) claimed that it was 10.

According to ANF, the list of dead protestors are as follows:

Clashes between those who demonstrated for Kobane and those affiliated with Hüda Par in Diyarbakır province left Mahmut Enez (55), and Süleyman Kale (19) dead.

In Kurtalan, Siirt province, demonstrators marched towards Justice and Development Party (AKP) headquarters. It was claimed that AKP-affiliated mayor Nevzat Karatay’s relatives held an open fire in the air to scare off protestors. Hospitalized, protestors Y.Ç. (17) and Mehdi Erdoğan (35) died in Siirt Public Hospital. 

In Varto, Muş province, Hakan Buksur (25) died after being hit by a gas bomb canister in the head.

In Kızıltepe, Mardin province, ANF claimed that an identified car opened fire on protestors, leaving Kerem Karaaslan (22) dead. 

It was also claimed that Hüda-Par members opened fire in Mardin’s Dargeçit district, leaving Sinan Toprak (16) and Bilal Gezer dead. 

Protests in Van province left Hamdi Caner (55) after being shot in the chest. 

In Batman province, Emrah Demir (23) died of gun wounds after being hospitalized.

On the other hand, curfew order remain in Diyarbakır province for today. (BM) 

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.