Siirt district mayor unseated due to charges of aiding, abetting PKK

The Interior Ministry suspended the mayor of the district of Eruh in Siirt province, Eda Kilis, on charges of being a member of terrorist organization, as well as aiding and abetting a terrorist organization.

Kilis, who is a member of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP), which is the regional affiliate of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), was on trial for alleged involvement. Kilis was recently sentenced to two years in prison while the Eruh Alderman Salih Özer was also tried on the same charges.

Five other investigations were also launched into Kilis regarding "aiding and abetting a terrorist organization." The former Eruh mayor, Hüseyin Kılıç, was unseated by the Foreign Ministry on July 8 of last year due to statements of "so-called autonomy," leading Kilis to take over the position as she was elected by the municipal council.

Several DBP-led municipalities were previously accused of assisting the PKK in clashes with security forces in southeastern provinces. Southeastern municipalities administered by the DBP have been accused of aiding and abetting the PKK's urban war strategy of digging trenches and establishing roadblocks to claim control of cities. Heavy equipment belonging to municipalities were also put at the disposal of the PKK, according to claims.

In June, the DBP municipality in Siirt reportedly dug up roads to enable PKK terrorists to plant mines and paved it afterward so that the mines could be detonated when military vehicles passed by.

In April, the PKK was reported to be using garbage trucks belonging to DBP-run municipalities for recruitment and carrying bombs in the Nusaybin district of southeastern Mardin province, security forces said during operations in the conflict-ridden district.

In January, dozens of PKK arms and ammunition were confiscated in a tractor belonging to the DBP in the Dargeçit district of southeastern Mardin province by security officers. Also, according to a report released by the Van Police Department, from Aug. 9 to Aug. 18, 20 cell batteries, 100 kilograms of ammonium nitrate and other chemicals used to make bombs were found in a truck belonging to Van Municipality.