Turkey suspends 4 mayors amid terror probes

ANKARA-Anadolu Agency

Four mayors were suspended in eastern Turkey on Nov. 13 over alleged terror ties.

The Interior Ministry suspended Songül Erden, the mayor of Idil district in southeastern Şırnak province.

In southeastern Diyarbakır province, Belgin Diken, the mayor of Yenişehir district, and Ahmet Çelik, mayor of Hazro district, were suspended from their posts.

Also, in the eastern Tunceli province, Orhan Çelebi, the mayor of Akpazar town of Malazgirt district, was suspended.

As part of investigations into the mayors, the four were removed from their offices for allegedly being members of an armed terror group and spreading terrorist propaganda, said security sources on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

District governors -- Zafer Sağ in Idil, Murat Beşikçi in Yenişehir, Ali Öner in Hazro, and Menderes Topçuoğlu in Malazgirt, were appointed as deputy mayors.