ALBAWABA - In light of the Turkish local elections, clashes sparked between two groups in the Kurdish-majority city of Diyarbakır in Turkey resulting in the killing of one person and injuring at least 12.
Diyarbakır Governorship office released a statement regarding the tragic incident. "As a result of the armed fight that took place between two groups in relation to the election process in the Aşağıdere Neighborhood of the Central Sur District of our city, 12 people were injured and treated in hospitals across Diyarbakır,".
In the statement, which noted that extensive security measures were taken in the neighborhood where the fight broke out, it was also stated that "(70) personnel from the Kayapınar District General Command in the incident area, (3) Team (37 Personnel) from the JÖH TBK, including (1) by helicopter, were deployed to Diyarbakır".
The statement also called on all parties to act calmly. It was stated, "In this process where our security forces are making great efforts to ensure that local government elections can be held in a peaceful environment in our city, it is of great importance that all parties operating in the field, especially the headman candidates, act sensitively."
Turkish Local Elections
Voting began early Sunday, with over 61 million registered voters scheduled to cast their ballots across the country.
Voting began at 7 a.m. local time and will continue until 4 p.m. in 32 of Turkey's 81 provinces, all in the east. In the remaining provinces, polls opened at 8 a.m. and will shut at 5 p.m.
There will be elections for 973 district mayors, 390 city mayors, and 50,336 mukhtars, or heads of local government, as well as the provincial general assembly and municipal councils.
