Turkey: Mayor nabbed for alleged ties to terrorist PKK

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey

A local mayor in southeastern Turkey from an opposition party accused of terrorist ties was arrested over alleged links to an armed terror group, security sources said on Monday.

On Dec. 20, Feyme Filiz Buluttekin, the mayor of Diyarbakir’s Sur district, was temporarily suspended from her post as part of an anti-terror investigation, and was arrested for allegedly being a member of the terrorist YPG/PKK on Monday.

Buluttekin, a member of the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), is also accused of spreading terrorist propaganda and insulting the Turkish state and nation.

Buluttekin attended the funeral of senior YPG/PKK member Mehmet Yakisir, who is known to have killed Eren Bulbul, age 15, in 2017.

She is also accused of attending the funerals of other terrorists as well as supporting their families and receiving instructions from YPG/PKK ringleaders.

Prior to the investigation, Buluttekin was sentenced to 10 months in prison for YPG/PKK propaganda.

HDP is accused by the government of having substantial links to the YPG/PKK terror group.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is its Syrian offshoot.

By Erdogan Cagatay Zontur