Hundreds of Kurdish civilians were injured in western Turkey and several were killed in attacks by mobs that police participated.

Turkish President Erdogan and his party, the AKP, led racist groups, nationalists and fascists in violent demonstrations. They undertook terror actions against Kurdish civilians in many cities of western Turkey, including Istanbul, Ankara, Kirsehir, Kocaeli, İzmir, Balıkesir, Malatya, Mulga, Mersin, Keçiören, Tuzluçayır, Beypazarı , Balgat, Isparta, Konya and Antalya. They conducted coordinated attacks against homes, businesses and institutions of the Kurds and against the offices of the HDP. The attacks lasted for 48 hours.

Hundreds of Kurdish civilians were injured in these attacks and many were killed. Hundreds of Kurds are also stranded in different HDP office where they fled for protection from mob lynchings. Racist groups demolished signs, broke the windows and shouted slogans against the Kurds and the HDP. However, the Turkish police did not intervene to stop these acts of terror and vandalism.

Since the beginning of the war waged by Turkey against the Kurds, or 32 years, this is the first time we are witnessing the violence committed on such a large scale. These racist and nationalist violence is directly and deliberately caused by Erdogan and the AKP. There are two days, Erdogan has officially ordered the police to shoot on sight any civilian considered to represent a “threat”. He also called on the population to denounce any individual deemed “suspicious.” This reflects a desire to divide society, stirring up inter-ethnic conflicts and boost anti-Kurdish racism.

The violence against the Kurds are planned and coordinated through social networks. In the space of 48 hours, 128 HDP offices were attacked, their signs were destroyed and replaced with Turkish flags. Several offices were also torched. Violent groups have stopped long bus line and checked the identities of passengers to identify those who were Kurds. When the drivers tried to continue their journey to escape the rabid groups, the police intervened to stop the bus, exposing drivers and passengers to more violence. Several times we saw the police take part in attacks against the Kurds by fascist groups.

The aggressions against Kurds continues in the cities of the West, threatening hundreds of thousands of people.

We urge the international community to support the Kurds face these extremely disturbing assaults conducted in a coordinated manner and to immediately call the Erdogan government to cease its divisive policies advocating violence and racism.

Kurdistan National Congress (KNK)

September 8, 2015