HDP implies Erdoğan igniting civil war

DİYARBAKIR

CİHAN photo

A senior executive of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) has indicated President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been purposefully igniting rising conflict between Turkey’s security forces and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), suggesting his eventual goal was to incite “a civil war” in the country.

Speaking at a press conference in Diyarbakır on Aug. 20, the HDP’s İdris Baluken was apparently referring to Erdoğan when he asked, “Is the palace trying to drag Turkey into a civil war?” Baluken then argued there have been attempts to spread ongoing clashes to the entire country. 

“Just like it was the case in the 1990s, a Kurdish and Turkish conflict with no return is being ignited. This concept is totally materialized at the palace table,” he said, again referring to Erdoğan’s residence, the presidential palace in Ankara. 

A deputy for Bingöl, Baluken held the press conference along with the HDP’s Diyarbakır deputies, who earlier visited Diyarbakır’s Silvan district, where a curfew was declared on Aug. 18 as clashes spread to the district.

“The summary of what took place in Silvan: The palace state has terrorized the Silvan people. The palace declared a war on the Silvan people,” Baluken said, claiming “gladio” forces were active in the district and threatening people’s safety and lives.

“All of these moves aim for one thing: Creating a civil war like the one in Syria by escalating tension, clashes and chaos. These bloody conspiracies are being set at the palace,” he said.