Turkey replaces Siirt's Kurdish mayor with state official: ministry

DIYARBAKIR-AMED,—Turkish authorities removed the elected Kurdish mayor of Siirt province, Sofya Alağaş, on Wednesday, citing a prior conviction for membership in a “terrorist” organization.

The Ministry of Interior announced that a state-appointed governor would temporarily assume her position, part of a broader crackdown on pro-Kurdish officials.

Alagas, a member of the pro-Kurdish Democratic Regions Party (DEM), was removed due to a conviction for alleged ties to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK).

The ministry described the move as a “temporary measure” to address national security concerns.

The government has repeatedly accused DEM officials of supporting or maintaining links to the PKK, which has waged a decades-long insurgency against the Turkish state.

Both the PKK and KCK are designated as “terrorist” organizations by Turkey. DEM denies the allegations, stating that its work focuses on advancing the rights of the country’s Kurdish minority.

In a statement, DEM condemned the removal of Alagas, calling the government’s action a seizure of democratic rights. The party noted that eight municipalities it won in last year’s local elections had been taken over by state-appointed trustees.

“This is nothing short of an attack on the will of the Kurdish people,” DEM said.

Over the years, dozens of pro-Kurdish mayors from DEM and its predecessor parties have been removed, with many arrested on similar charges.

DEM, which holds 57 seats in Turkey’s 600-member parliament, has accused the government of using terrorism accusations as a pretext to silence opposition voices.

The crackdown has drawn criticism from human rights groups and opposition parties, who warn that Turkey’s democratic institutions are under threat. Critics argue that such actions undermine efforts to resolve Turkey’s 40-year conflict with the PKK, which has claimed more than 40,000 lives.

The conflict began in 1984 when the PKK launched its insurgency, demanding greater autonomy for Turkey’s Kurdish population in Turkish Kurdistan, estimated at over 23 million.

(With files from Reuters | Agencies)