Local outrage over the PKK's attempts to establish autonomy in provinces across southeastern Turkey has spread to several municipalities led by the regional affiliate to the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), the Democratic Regions Party (DBP), where officials are refusing to hand over municipality-owned construction materials to PKK terrorists digging trenches.

One municipality in the southeastern province of Mardin received demands for diggers which they denied, resulting in threats to the municipal mayor Ahmet Türk for his refusal, with the PKK saying this policy is damaging no one other than the locals.

It is reported that Türk also rejected another demand from the Nusaybin municipality for two diggers, on the grounds that "Demolishing residential areas cannot be a way of struggle. Those that have been made are wrong."

In another DBP-led province, the eastern municipality of Ağrı, it has also reported that the PKK's demand for diggerswas refused by Mayor Sırrı Sakık, who stated that he does not consider declarations of so-called self-rule as a means to justify digging ditches.

Along with Mardin and Ağrı, several mayors throughout the region are known for their dissident stance against PKK terror, indicating that digging ditches and trenches does nothing but harm the locals and pave the way to decreasing support for the party. Yet, party officials continue to make controversial statements regarding the grievances of locals.

There have been claims that several DBP-led municipalities in southeastern Turkey provide assistance to the PKK by digging trenches and establishing roadblocks to acquire control over cities.

Previously, dozens of PKK arms and ammunition were confiscated by security forces from a tractor belonging to the DBP in the southeastern province of Mardin's Dargeçit district on Monday. Tipped off by a local, security officers searched the tractor and its trailer, discovering seven RPG-7 rocket launchers, one long-range armor-piercing weapon, one sniper rifle, two Bixis, five Kalashnikovs, seven grenades and one MP5 machine gun, which were then seized along with hundreds of cartridges and other equipment.

On Monday, a local court sentenced Bekir Kaya, the former co-mayor of the eastern province of Van, along with 17 other people, and sentenced them to seven to 15 years in prison on charges of being members of the PKK. According to information received from the latest central executive committee meeting of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), 18 DBP mayors and 48 DBP municipal council members have been arrested so far.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said on Wednesday that municipalities that are "working as logistics centers for the terrorist organization will pay the price," pointing out that these municipalities, instead of providing "a prosperous life for citizens," are helping foster a "terrorist ideology with lies and black propaganda and are spending financial resources entrusted by the nation on dark channels."

In order to prevent this growing problem, the government has resorted to a new regulation that restricts the authorization of these municipalities.

According to the new regulation, comprehensive reform will be made to the Municipal Law previously enacted in 2012 and the power of authorization will be seized from the municipalities. According to the previous regulation, provincial special administrations were closed and municipalities and district municipalities collectively shared the authority and responsibilities of those administrations. Now, according to the new regulation, those administrations must either be re-founded or governors will be granted more authority.