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Turkey ousts three more pro-Kurdish mayors

The mayors of Turkey's Diyarbakir, Mardin and Van have been replaced by state appointees in the latest move against a major pro-Kurdish party.
Veteran Kurdish politician Ahmet Turk addresses "Hayir" ("No") supporters during a rally for the upcoming referendum in Istanbul, Turkey, April 8, 2017. REUTERS/Huseyin Aldemir - RC13FE1C8A10

State appointees replaced three recently elected mayors with the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) in Turkey’s Kurdish-majority southeast Monday morning. Authorities cited alleged misuses of public office and ongoing terror-related investigations into the HDP officials as grounds for their suspension in a statement released by Turkey’s Interior Ministry.

According to the statement, the municipalities had “sought to become logistical centers for ensuring militant [resources], financial support and equipment for supporting terrorist activities.”

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