Iraq's KRG condemns terrorist attack in SE Turkey

By Muhammet Kursun

ERBIL, Iraq (AA) - Iraq’s Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) has condemned the PKK terrorist attack on a police station Friday in Turkey's southeast, which left nine people martyred.

The blast struck a building used by riot police officers in Baglar, a district in the center of Diyarbakir province, at 7.53 a.m. local time (0453GMT), also injuring 99 people.

In a statement, the KRG presidency said: "Such attacks cannot be legitimated in any way. Political issues cannot be resolved by such acts of violence."

"These attacks do not serve the Kurds' legitimate case," the statement added.

In the statement, the northern Iraqi government also conveyed its condolences to the relatives of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the wounded.

The attack followed the arrests earlier Friday of 11 lawmakers from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), including the party’s two co-chairs Figen Yuksekdag and Selahattin Demirtas and parliamentary group leader Idris Baluken. A 12th HDP lawmaker was arrested later. Among the 12 lawmakers, seven were remanded in custody, three released under judicial control while two others are still being questioned.