Turkiye: Security forces arrest over 100 in pre-election 'counter-terror' operation

Turkish President and Leader of the Justice and Development (AK) Party, Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses the crowd during debut of AK Party’s Election Manifesto and MP Candidates at Ankara Sports Hall in Ankara, Turkiye on April 11, 2023 [Mustafa Kamacı – Anadolu Agency]

Police in Turkiye have detained 110 people across the country in what it called a “counter-terror” operation, with politicians, lawyers and journalists reportedly among those arrested, local Turkish media reports.

According to the report, the operation focused mainly on the Kurdish-majority city of Diyarbakir in the country’s south-east, but extended as far as 21 provinces.

An MP from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) accused the operation of being focused on disrupting his party ahead of 14 May elections.

“On the eve of the election, out of fear of losing power, they have resorted to detention operations again,” tweeted Tayip Temel.

The Turkish Government has been accusing HDP of having links to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), an armed group that has fought a guerrilla war with the Turkish state since 1984.

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