Turkey: Protests in Batman province June 12

Event

Hundreds of protesters participated in a demonstration against the Kurdistan Worker's Pary (PKK) in the Kozluk district of Batman province on Monday, June 12. Residents organized the demonstration after the PKK allegedly killed a 22-year-old music teacher during an attack in the area. The protesters gathered near the high school where the victim taught.

Context

The teacher was killed while traveling by car in the southeast of Batman province. PKK militants opened fire on a nearby car belonging to a local mayor and the teacher was shot along with three other people.

Turkey has suffered repeated bombings and other attacks since the establishment of Islamic State (IS) in neighboring Iraq and Syria as well as since the 2015 collapse of a long-term ceasefire between the government and the PKK, which has waged a three-decade insurgency for Kurdish autonomy. In recent months, the Turkish military has intensified its airstrikes and military operations against the PKK.

Advice

Individuals in Batman province are advised to avoid all demonstrations and rallies, follow any instructions issued by the local authorities, and carry proper identification at all times (e.g. passport).

Due to the prevailing threat of terrorism, report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities and maintain a high degree of vigilance, especially when visiting sites deemed particularly vulnerable to an attack (public transportation, train stations, ports, airports, public or government buildings, embassies or consulates, international organizations, schools and universities, religious sites, festivals, etc.). Some Western governments advise against travel to areas along the Syrian and Iraqi borders.