Kamuran Yüksek, co-chair of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP), which is a regional affiliate of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), was arrested on Friday and charged with membership in the PKK.
Following an investigation carried out by Diyarbakır Public Prosecutor's Office, Yüksek, who was detained on May 10, was sent to prison after trial. The 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 the municipalities was also put at the disposal of the PKK, according to reports.
Bulldozers and other equipment belonging to some municipalities were used by municipality personnel for digging ditches, common to the streets of terror-stricken towns and used by the PKK to block military access to the roads. The municipalities were criticized for not deploying firefighting teams to areas hit by PKK attacks.
Following these developments, a recent report by the Prime Ministry in January questioned how these municipalities are spending state funds, and said that the funds may have been funneled to the PKK, or at least toward support for its propaganda in the region.
The report highlights a bloated rate of personnel employed by the municipalities, despite little investment in public services, raising suspicion of links between municipality personnel and the PKK. Claiming that they act in the interest of Kurds in the region, the PKK clashes with security forces have caused the terrorist organization to lose popularity with locals, who want the return of the peaceful atmosphere they saw during the reconciliation process. With disregarding to civilian life, property or even whether the rich historical heritage sites in the region are damaged, the PKK continues to practice life-crippling strategies of digging ditches, erecting of barricades and detonation of explosives, in doomed efforts for autonomy.
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