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Turkey mourns as it bids farewell to soldiers killed in Şemdinli
Nine soldiers were killed on Saturday when terrorists attacked an army border unit in Hakkari's Şemdinli district. Two more soldiers were slain in the same area later on in the day by a land mine. A separate terrorist assault on a military outpost in Elazığ left one soldier dead early Sunday. Seven soldiers were buried in their hometowns on Sunday. One of the slain soldiers, Köksal, was buried in Ankara on Sunday following a funeral prayer at the Kocatepe Mosque.
Top state officials, including President Abdullah Gül, Constitutional Court President Haşim Kılıç, State Minister Ali Babacan, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli, Deputy Chief of General Staff Gen. Arslan Güner and National Police Chief Oğuz Kağan Köksal, were in attendance in addition to hundreds of people.
The bodies of Mehmet Ali Tosun from Aydın, Sabahattin Derin from Muğla, Oğuz Yelken and Mustafa Kayın from Edirne, Ramazan Erdem from Zonguldak, Mutlu Saydam from Sakarya, Ömer Kara from Mersin, Elhas Altındere from Kahramanmaraş, Hüseyin Köksal and Yusuf Pazar from Ankara, Selçuk Gökdağ from İzmit and Süleyman Ballan from Konya were sent to their hometowns on Sunday after a memorial ceremony at the Van Gendarmerie Security Command.
Tension was high at one funeral, held for Sgt. Kara in Mersin’s Tarsus district. A small group chanted slogans against the government during the funeral. Riot police stepped in to stop the group from attacking Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Mersin deputy Ali Er.
Pazar’s funeral was held in Ankara’s Kazan district on Sunday. State Minister Zafer Çağlayan attended the funeral prayer, held in the courtyard of a school because a large crowd showed up. The uncle of the slain soldier made an announcement before the prayer, asking the attendees to not chant slogans and create chaos, which would “serve the aim of the forces of evil.”
Ballan’s funeral took place in his hometown of Konya on Sunday. The funeral prayer was held at the Mürşit Pınar Mosque, following which Ballan was buried at the Konya Martyrs’ Cemetery. Konya Mayor Tahir Akyürek and top officers from the Konya Gendarmerie Command were present during the funeral.
Gökdağ, who died in the Elazığ assault, was also buried on Sunday in İzmit after a funeral prayer at the İzmit Fevziye Mosque. Some groups that attended the funeral chanted slogans in protest of the terrorist PKK.
Saydam’s funeral took place in Sakarya’s Arifiye district. Speaking to reporters before the funeral, his father, Sıddık Saydam, said: “We were hurt. I hope others are not hurt from now on.” The soldier was later buried in a cemetery in Açmalar.
Speaking at his son’s funeral in Kahramanmaraş, Çavuş Esendere, who lost his son Elhas in Saturday’s PKK attack, said he could not see his son for many months before he joined the military because he was working in another city.
Five other soldiers were buried yesterday. Several deputies from the ruling AK Party and other political parties were present during the funeral held for Derin in Milas, Muğla province. The soldier was buried in a Milas cemetery on Sunday.
Soldiers Erdem, Tosun, Yelken and Kayın were buried in Zonguldak’s Ereğli district, Aydın and Edirne’s Uzunköprü and Keşan districts, respectively. A large crowd gathered at Aydın’s Bey Mosque for Tosun’s funeral. His father, Abdullah Tosun, had a hard time standing during the funeral prayer. Several deputies and military officers were also in attendance.
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