Tension in southeast Turkey spreads to parliament

Lawmakers from Turkey's two opposition parties and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) engaged in a heated debate on Jan. 20 over the latest clashes in the southeastern town of Cizre, which has been under curfew for 39 days.

The debate sparked hours after Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair Selahattin Demirta? said a committee of 15 civilians, including HDP ??rnak deputy Faysal Sar?y?ld?z, took refuge in a building's basement in Cizre after they went to the town, besieged by clashes between Turkish security forces and outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants, to take care of civilian casualties.

Urging immediate government action on the latest developments in Cizre, Demirta? also said the committee was subjected to gunfire and new casualties, including Refik Tekin, an award-winning journalist working at private broadcaster ?MC, from gunfire purportedly shot by security forces.

"A great crime is being committed in Cizre right now. Our deputies, deputy mayor and a civilian group were subjected to gunfire. They were going to take care of the wounded with the approval of the district governor. The situation is vital," Demirta? said, speaking outside parliament in the Turkish capital on Jan. 20. 

"There are 10 wounded stuck in a basement. They are hemorrhaging. We heard about a ceasefire after our friends talked to Interior Minister Efkan Ala. Ambulances, however, are not able to take the wounded out," he added.

Late on Jan. 20, lawmakers from main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and the HDP engaged in a fierce debate with ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lawmakers over the casualties in a general assembly of the Turkish parliament, headed by HDP Deputy Group Chair Pervin Buldan.
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