UPDATE - Turkish min. calls for calm after attack on opp. leader

UPDATE - Turkish min. calls for calm after attack on opp. leader

Kemal Kilicdaroglu was attacked by group of people during funeral of soldier martyred on Friday

UPDATES WITH STATEMENTS FROM INTERIOR MINISTER, JUSTICE MINISTER, MAIN OPPOSITION PARTY LEADER, RULING PARTY SPOKESMAN

By Muhammed Boztepe and Sarp Ozer

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish defense minister on Sunday called for calm after main opposition party leader was attacked during the funeral of a soldier in Cubuk district of the capital city.

Hulusi Akar's remarks came after the leader of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) was attacked by a group of people when he was attending the funeral of a Turkish soldier, who was martyred on Friday along with three others during operations against terrorists in the Turkey-Iraq border area.

After the attack, Kemal Kilicdaroglu was taken to a nearby house until an armored vehicle was sent to pick him up under protection of the security forces.

The defense minister visited Kilicdaroglu at the house and addressed the locals using a police car speaker.

"One of our fellow brothers was martyred. We attended his funeral and fulfilled our responsibility for him. Our armed forces have been now making life unbearable for these terrorists on those mountains and hills where he was martyred," Akar said.

Akar and Kilicdaroglu left the house together.

Meanwhile, Ankara governor Vasip Sahin told a local broadcaster a legal action against the attackers has been initiated.

Yuksel Kocaman, Ankara's chief public prosecutor, told Anadolu Agency that a probe was launched against the attackers and to ascertain whether it was a terror act or an act of provocation.

Speaking to his supporters in front of the party’s headquarters in Ankara, Kilicdaroglu said: "This attack on me was an attack on Turkey's unity and integrity".

He said his party embraces 82 million people in Turkey without any discrimination of political views, beliefs and identities.

Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul and Ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party Spokesman Omer Celik condemned the attack on the opposition leader.

"I condemn the heinous attack on CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu and may he get well soon. We will not allow any kind of violence to cast shadow on democratic politics," Gul wrote on Twitter.

In a Twitter post, Celik said: "We condemn all acts of violence. We convey our get-well wishes to Kilicdaroglu. No one has the right to go out of law. Violence is not a way to seek justice or to protest. People responsible [for the attack] will be revealed and the necessary legal action will be taken".

Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu followed suit and said such an attack during a martyred soldier's funeral was "unacceptable".

Speaking to a national television, Soylu said the incident would be investigated comprehensively.

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