While the appointment of administrators to 28 municipalities linked with terror groups continues to be a matter of debate, amid criticism from some opposition parties and foreign envoys, evidence provided by security forces show clear links between the PKK terrorist organization and municipalities.
The mayors of 28 municipalities charged with various crimes, including membership of a terrorist group, aiding and abetting a terrorist group and terror financing, were replaced by state administrators on Sept. 11 through a governmental decree. Turkey's Interior Ministry announced on its website on September 1st that mayors and members of municipal councils who are discharged for having ties to any terror group will be replaced within 15 days.
Photo: Ammunition found hidden under a manhole cover in southeastern Silopi district after the municipality was suspended
Of the 28 mayors replaced, 24 are accused of links to the PKK, while the remaining four are accused of links to the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ). Of these, two are mayors of cities (Batman and Hakkari), 24 are mayors of municipalities and two mayors of smaller boroughs. Of the 28, 12 are currently in jail pending their trials of charges of terrorism.
All of those dismissed due to PKK links are from the pro-PKK Democratic Regions Party (DBP), the local wing of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP).
Photo: A funeral coach of Batman Municipality bearing posters of PKK emblem and imprisoned leader Abdullah Öcalan carries a terrorist's body
Since the PKK started to escalate its attacks mid-last year, the DBP municipalities have backed the terrorist group's strategy to create chaos in urban centers across the country's East and Southeast. Municipal vehicles were seen digging ditches to prevent security forces from accessing urban areas under PKK occupation. Such incidents, in Van, Şırnak's Cizre municipality, Derik and Dargeçit municipalities in Mardin, Diyarbakır's Sur municipality and many others resulted in thousands of locals fleeing their homes, mostly due to being pushed out by the PKK's urban militants.
DBP municipalities are also known to have channeled funds to terrorists, hiring them as municipal employees and providing them with regular salaries. Dozens of municipal vehicles with official license plates have been seized by authorities, who found tons of bomb making equipment and explosives.
Photo: The emblem of a PKK-affiliated group is being waved from a service bus of Diyarbakır Municipality
Here are some of the examples provided by the Interior Ministry:
On Jan. 4, 2016, the police followed up a tip off and searched a trailer towed by a municipal tractor in Dargeçit, Mardin, seizing seven rocket launchers, ten automatic rifles, seven hand grenades, 24 anti-tank rockets, 19 RPG rockets, cartridges, radios and backpacks. Three people were arrested in the incident.
The truck belonging to the Mazıdağı Municipality in southeastern Mardin province – bearing the official license plate number 47 AS 012 – was used in a suicide bomb attack on Cevizlik Gendarmerie Post in Artuklu district on July 09, 2016, which killed two soldiers and a civilian and injured 24 soldiers and 14 civilians.
The truck belonging to Mardin Metropolitan Municipality – bearing the official license plate number 47 AL 764 – was used to drop pebble stones in a street to block police units from passing.
The incident was initiated by a tipoff from a local, who added that municipal workers were helping terrorists to erect barricades with cobblestones.
Three were arrested in the incident.
The earth mover belonging to Mardin's Derik Municipality was seized after it was found to be digging ditches during the terrorist activities on Feb. 19-20, 2016.
Police units who arrived at the scene to prevent the earth mover were attacked with rocket launchers, injuring five police officers.
A light commercial vehicle rented by Van Metropolitan Municipality, and bearing an official assignment card, tried to drive through a police checkpoint. Two police officers were injured in the ensuing armed clash, while three terrorists were killed and the driver – working for the municipality – who was wounded, was captured.
Three grenades, two handguns, one hand radio, eight detonators, one electronic fuse and cartridges were seized in the vehicle. Upon further investigation in the terrorists' residence, one wounded terrorist was captured, in addition to one rocket launcher and ammunition, one automatic rifle and cartridges.
Earth movers, tractors and garbage trucks belonging to Silopi Municipality in southeastern Şırnak province were used to dig ditches, attack armored vehicles of the police and were used as a cover during PKK terrorist attacks.
On Oct. 11 2014, an earth mover knocked over an armored vehicle, followed by terrorists throwing 15 Molotov cocktails and opening fire with automatic rifles. Firefighters also failed to intervene a burning police car on Oct. 10, 2015 after terrorists set it on fire with Molotov cocktails.
A terrorist's testimony before the prosecutor also showed the relations between the PKK and the municipality of Nusaybin district in Mardin province. "A group including Mayor Sara Kaya gave a press statement for autonomy. Before a curfew was announced, an earth mover from the municipality arrived to dig ditches. They even sent the operator. This man and the terrorists dug ditches together. We were also provided with food and clothing from the Nusaybin Municipality," the terrorist said. Upon further investigation, it was also detected that several contractors working with the municipality were providing aid to the PKK and sheltering terrorists.
Investigation launched into Batman Municipality uncovered that 328 subcontracting workers out of a total 400 hired in various periods either have personal ties with the PKK or at least have one close relative affiliated with the terrorist organization. In a separate incident, municipality officials and employees formed human shields to prevent security forces from capturing attacking terrorists.
Municipalities also used their PKK ties to extort money from local businessmen. A lawsuit was launched on a case in which officials from the Erciş Municipality in eastern Van province asked for 500,000 Turkish liras ($167,000) on behalf of the PKK to issue a license upon a local hotel owner's application. Former mayor and deputy mayor were added to the investigation as suspects.
Another extortion case took place in Diyarbakır's Sur province. A local complained to the police and said that the municipality officials asked TL 70,000 to issue a license, showing a list of people who have given some TL 150,000, TL 250,000 for licenses. "I didn't have that kind of money. After a bargain, I paid TL 35,000, and they gave me a receipt for TL 1,110 in return. I found out that the rest of the amount went to the PKK," the local said. In another case, Sur Municipality asked from a contractor involved in house construction some 7 to 10 percent of the project to issue the license for its second stage. The project was later handed over to another contractor as the first contractor had to leave business due to pressure.
Although the Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality was not appointed with administrators, the investigation found out that municipal workers were forced to pay contribution for the PKK during October 2014 Kobani protests, in which 31 people died amid clashes between pro and anti-PKK Kurdish groups. The municipality also extorted money for PKK to issue licenses.
