Turkey arrests 19 over armed attack on ruling party

By Ridvan Korkulutas

SANLIURFA, Turkey (AA) - At least 19 suspects, including an opposition Peoples' Democratic Party’s (HDP) candidate for parliament, were arrested on Saturday in connection with an armed attack on ruling Justice and Development (AK) party members in southeast Turkey.

AK Party workers -- including MP Ibrahim Halil Yildiz -- campaigning on Thursday were attacked by an armed group in Sanliurfa’s Suruc district, leaving four people dead and eight injured.

Although Yildiz survived the attack with no injuries, his older brother Mehmet Ali Yildiz died after succumbing to his wounds in the hospital.

The Sanliurfa Governorship said in a statement that Yildiz, accompanied by a group of people, was visiting tradesmen in the center of Suruc when a discussion turned into a fight.

19 suspects including Ismail Kaplan, HDP's lawmaker candidate for Sanliurfa, and some district officials of HDP and Democratic Regions Party (DBP) were arrested after chief public prosecutor's office in southeastern Sanliurfa province issued arrest warrants for 23 suspects.