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Ahmet Türk strongly condemns killing of police officers
Three people attacked a police car in Samsun’s Ladik district on Saturday night, killing two policemen and injuring a local resident. Policeman Hüseyin Koç (50) died at the scene, while Malik Saykal (36), died at Ondokuz Mayıs University Hospital.
Speaking to Today’s Zaman, Türk said he condemned the attack regardless of who the perpetrators might be. He called on the authorities to find those responsible for the attack. He said the process that started with his assault by a coffeehouse employee in Samsun was continuing as a result of circles trying to create agitation. “We know there are many who would like to create tension in this country. We know how in the past provocations took place so that hostility that started over a single incident would remain in place,” he said.
He said he was deeply saddened by the attack. “This is something that has to be thoroughly investigated. It should absolutely be determined who organized this. We have always condemned such incidents, and we still do. The purpose of our struggle is to ensure a process in which people will not die. We believe that pain and death cannot solve any problems.”
He said he did not believe the Samsun police attack was in retaliation for the attack on him. He also said he did not think the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) was behind the attack.
Meanwhile, Muş deputy Sırrı Sakık from the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), the successor of the DTP, also shared his opinion on the incident. He said the death of the two police officers was an attempt at provocation. “All that we have tried to do was to prevent such incidents.” He said great responsibility lay on the shoulders of all authorities involved following these attacks.
Since Türk was punched in the face after he read a press statement outside a courtroom in Samsun last week, some have speculated that the armed attack on police officers may be linked to the PKK. Türk was there to watch a trial on the killing of two people in Muş’s Bulanık district on Dec. 15. A man approached Türk as he was getting into his car following the statement and punched the former DTP leader in the face. Türk, whose nose was broken, was hospitalized after the attack. The assailant, identified as İsmail Çelik, was detained by police. He was arrested on Tuesday. In his testimony Çelik said his attack was an individual act and that he was remorseful and sorry.
Eyewitnesses said the armed attack on the police was carried out by a woman and two men. Special police teams have been transferred to Samsun from the provinces of Ordu, Tokat and Ankara to help find the unidentified group.
A ceremony was held on Sunday in front of the Samsun Governor’s Office for the police officers who were killed in the attack. Koç, who was married and the father of three children, was buried in his hometown of Tokat, while Saykal, who was single, was laid to rest in Amasya.
Meanwhile, Samsun Police Chief Muzaffer Erkan was removed from his post and appointed to a post in another department in Ankara. Hulusi Çelik has been appointed the new Samsun chief of police.
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