Turkish gov't opens new riot police and special operations departments

ANKARA

Turkish riot police officers fire rubber bullets and tear gas towards demonstrators during clashes in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, May 1, 2015. AP Photo

With only few days until the June 7 parliamentary election, the Turkish government has decided to open new departments of riot police and special operations in several provinces. 

Related decisions by the Council of Ministers were published in the official Gazette on the early morning of June 4 and went into force immediately, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported. 

These new departments of riot police and special operations will be rural organizations that are directly connected with the National Police Department’s headquarters.

Accordingly, in the Adana, Diyarbakır, Erzurum and Van provinces, riot police departments, along with four branches for each of these departments, have been founded.

Additionally, in the Adana, Antalya, Batman, Diyarbakır, Erzurum, İstanbul, Samsun and Van provinces, special operations departments and four corresponding branches for each department have been founded. 

The Council of Ministers made the decision on April 27 upon an initiative of the Interior Ministry, the agency said.