19 October 2016•Update: 20 October 2016
By Enes Duran, Enes Kaplan, Mehmet Tosun and Baris Gundogan
ANKARA
Turkey's Interior Minister said Wednesday a ban on public gatherings until Nov. 30 was to protect citizens amid a time of terrorism.
Suleyman Soylu spoke at a ceremony at Anitkabir, the Ankara mausoleum of Turkey’s founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Soylu said the security measure was for ”the comfort of our people”.
However, he confirmed Oct. 29 celebrations to mark Turkey’s Republic Day and the Nov. 10 anniversary of Ataturk’s death would go ahead.
The interior minister's remarks came after a ban on public gatherings until Nov. 30 was issued after a recent warning by Turkey’s intelligence agency about imminent attacks by Daesh in five Turkish provinces, including Ankara.
Turkey is currently being governed under state-of-emergency powers following the defeated coup on July 15.
However, Oktay Sindir, secretary general of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), criticized the ban, saying terrorist groups could carry out attacks any time.
"You remove the ban and they attack the next day,” Sindir told Anadolu Agency and added: "If we prohibit demonstrations and celebrations with fear, Turkey becomes a country impossible to live in."
