Medics trapped in Cizre hospital call MPs for help

Turan Yılmaz - ANKARA

AA Photo

Health workers in the southeastern province of Şırnak, where security operations against outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants are ongoing, have phoned Turkish lawmakers and asked for help, saying they were trapped inside a hospital. 

A doctor, who was trapped in a hospital under continued shelling in Şırnak along with six other colleagues, phoned Turkish lawmakers and asked for help. 

“Our lawmakers are receiving phone calls from doctors under shelling,” Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy group head Özgür Özel told parliament on Dec. 17 during budget talks. 

“Doctor Adnan Memiş called our Denizli deputy from Cizre State Hospital, where 176 personnel and 13 doctors are located. He said they are under shelling and they fear for their lives,” Özel said, citing the doctor who is working in Şırnak’s Cizre, where fierce clashes are ongoing between Turkish security forces and PKK militants while the town is under curfew.

“This situation is grave. One state has to guarantee security in borders, inside the cities,” Özel added.

Finance Minister Naci Ağbal, however, said PKK militants were attacking the public buildings in Cizre. 

“Five rockets were fired at Cizre State Hospital by PKK terrorists today. There are 22 dialysis patients and three women who gave birth [in the hospital]. All security measures have been taken in the hospital for the continuation of health services,” he added. 

Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) deputy group head İdris Baluken said the military was using the public buildings in Cizre as their headquarters. “Hospitals, schools and municipality buildings are being used as military headquarters in Cizre. We condemn this situation,” he said.