Violence Begets Violence

Following the attack on Ahmet Turk on April 12 as the former Kurdish DTP leader stood outside a courtoom in Samsun, two attacks have taken place on police officers. The first occurred in Samsun on Saturday, April 17, leaving two police officers dead. The Firat New Agency, which is close to the PKK, later reported that the People's Defense Forces (HPG) were responsible for the attack. Then, on Thursday, April 22, another attack on police officers occurred in Mardin, leaving one police officer dead an two others, another police officer and a civilian, seriously wounded. Turk condemned both attacks, though he initially said he did not think the PKK was behind them. He later told Aksiyon he thought the attacks on him and Energy Minister Taner Yildiz were the work of Ergenekon forces. In more fallout from the attack on Turk, Samsun Police Chief Muzaffer Erkan was removed from his post and appointed to a post in another department in Ankara following criticism that the Samsun police did not do enough to protect Turk. Hulusi Celik will replace Erkan.

Other violence in recent days included a landmine explosion yesterday in the town of Dereli in the Black Sea province of Giresun. One Turkish solider was killed, and two others seriously wounded. The device is thought to have been controlled by remote control.