Election bureau of Turkey's ruling AKP attacked in Istanbul

ISTANBUL - Doğan News Agency

DHA Photo

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) election liaison bureau in the Maltepe district of Istanbul was attacked by unknown gunmen on late March 23. No injuries were reported.

The gunmen allegedly fired four gunshots at the bureau from a moving vehicle at around 11.30 p.m., hitting the glass on the front of the building. The suspects immediately fled the scene. The election liaison bureau was closed when the incident happened, preventing potential casualties and injuries.

A number of policemen were deployed to the scene upon the notice of the neighborhood residents. Meanwhile, security forces searched inside and outside the bureau, collecting evidence about the attack. The hunt for the suspects is reportedly continuing.

The upcoming parliamentary elections in Turkey are scheduled to take place on June 7 with the participation of 31 parties, including the four currently represented in parliament: The AKP, the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP). The latest population census published by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) on Dec. 31, 2014, revealed Turkey has a population of 77,695,904. In the June election, the country will be divided into 85 electoral districts in 81 provinces, with a total of 550 deputies to be elected to parliament.