Turkish minister calls for calm after attack on opp. leader

ANKARA

Turkish defense minister on Sunday called for calm after main opposition party leader was attacked during the funeral of a soldier in Cubuk district of the capital city.

Hulusi Akar's remarks came after the leader of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) was attacked by a group of people when he was attending the funeral of a Turkish soldier, who was martyred on Friday along with three others during operations against terrorists in the Turkey-Iraq border area.

After the attack, Kemal Kilicdaroglu was taken to a nearby house until an armored vehicle was sent to pick him up under protection of the security forces.

The defense minister visited Kilicdaroglu at the house and addressed the locals using a police car speaker.

"One of our fellow brothers was martyred. We attended his funeral and fulfilled our responsibility for him. Our armed forces have been now making life unbearable for these terrorists on those mountains and hills where he was martyred," Akar said.

Akar and Kilicdaroglu left the house together.

Meanwhile, Ankara governor Vasip Sahin told a local broadcaster a legal action against the attackers has been initiated.

Yuksel Kocaman, Ankara's chief public prosecutor, told Anadolu Agency that a probe was launched against the attackers and to ascertain whether it was a terror act or an act of provocation.