Turkey's ruling party to dismiss member over violence

ANKARA

A member of Turkey’s ruling party arrested over allegedly attacking the main opposition party leader will be dismissed, party officials said Monday.

Osman Sarigun and five other people allegedly attacked Kemal Kilicdaroglu of the Republican People's Party (CHP) on Sunday when he was attending a soldier's funeral in Ankara, the capital.

After the attack, Kilicdaroglu was taken to a nearby house until an armored vehicle was sent to pick him up.

Omer Celik, spokesman of the Justice and Development (AK) Party, said in a tweet: "The AK Party is against all forms of violence. Our principles strongly reject violence. There is no room for violence in democratic politics.”

Sarigun was arrested earlier on Monday in Ankara, according to prosecutors.

Later, judicial sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media, said four suspects detained over the attack were taken to prosecutors for questioning.

A total of nine suspects have reportedly been detained over the attack, and four were later released.

* Writing by Busra Nur Bilgic and Zehra Nur Duz