Turkey dismisses four more pro-Kurdish mayors over 'terror ties'



Four more mayors from Turkey's main pro-Kurdish party were dismissed on Saturday on suspicion of links with outlawed rebels and were replaced by government-appointed trustees.

The mayor of Suruc in the Sanliurfa province and three mayors from Mazidagi, Savur and Derik districts in the Mardin province were suspended, the state news agency Anadolu reported.

With the latest dismissals, the number of People's Democratic Party (HDP) mayors suspended by the government has reached 24.

Ankara accuses the HDP, the country's third-largest party, of links to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has fought an insurgency against the state since 1984.

In recent months, the government has cracked down on the HDP, the only party in Parliament to criticise Turkey's offensive against Kurdish militants in northern Syria in October, calling it an "invasion."

The HDP governs many cities in the largely Kurdish south-east of Turkey, and says it is the target of a systematic government plot to deplete its ranks.

The former co-leaders of the HDP have been jailed since 2016 on terrorism charges, with several other prominent members accused of supporting terrorism over what the government says are links to the PKK.

Turkish troops are carrying out a military offensive in neighbouring Syria against the Kurdish YPG militia, which Ankara sees a terrorist group and also accuses of ties to the PKK.

During his visit to the US last week, Turkey's President Reccep Tayyip Erdogan said his country did not have issues with the Kurds, but with terrorist organisations.

US President Donald Trump praised Mr Erdogan's relationship with the Kurds.

"I think the president has a great relationship with the Kurds," Mr  Trump said. "Many Kurds live currently in Turkey, and they're happy and they're taken care of, including health care."

His comments were in sharp contrast to anger in the US Congress over Ankara's offensive into Syria to drive out a Kurdish militia that has been Washington's main partner in the fight against ISIS.

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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe

Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010

Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille

Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm

Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year

Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”

Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners

TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013 

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Valerio Conti (ITA)
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Fernando Gaviria (COL)
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In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458. 

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What can you do?

Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses

Seek professional advice from a legal expert

You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor

You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline

In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support

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While you're here
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Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home. 

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