Turkey’s state-run news agency says the jailed leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party has renewed a call for Turkey’s government to resume talks with Kurdish militants aimed at ending the long-running conflict that has cost thousands of lives. Most of the suspended mayors are accused of links to the PKK extrem group while four are said to have ties to the Fetullah extremist Organization (FETO) behind the July 15 attempted coup.
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Officials said 48 people were wounded but no one died.
The explosion, which happened at about 11:00 local time, tore the front off a four-story building, while video images from the Dogan news agency showed water cannon being used in an attempt to put out the flames.
The April 2015 visit was with parliamentarians from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), who were acting as mediators between Ocalan and PKK commanders based in the Qandil Mountains of northern Iraq.
There were no fatalities, parliamentarian Burhan Kayaturk also told CNN Turk in comments broadcast live.
Tasyapan said two of the wounded were in serious condition, but he did not specify if they are officers or civilians.
Turkish tanks stormed the city in a lightening advance after meeting little resistance from Daesh terrorists who had previously put up a stiff resistance to Kurdish fighters.
The latest step was taken under the state of emergency imposed in the wake of the coup, with the ousted mayors, who were elected in the 2014 local elections, replaced by state-appointed trustees. Twelve of the mayors have been arrested, its statement said.
Turkey is said to be among the main supporters of the militant groups active in Syria.
This comes a day after 24 Kurdish mayors were removed from office in a crackdown across the region and Turkish authorities have blamed the blast on Kurdish militants.
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A group of 50 Kurdish activists including MPs announced on Monday they were ending their hunger strike on the eighth day, after receiving news on Ocalan’s health through his brother, a spokeswoman for the group said.
