JINHA

AMED - Police attacked a neighborhood in the town of Silvan in Northern Kurdistan (Turkey) yesterday afternoon. Local representatives warned of a possible civilian massacre as clashes intensified.

For five days, residents have been in a state of popular resistance in the town of Silvan (Farqîn in Kurdish), located in Diyarbakır province. Residents dug trenches and set up barricades to protect four neighborhoods--Tekel, Mescit, Konak and Selahattin--and the Farqîn Popular Assembly declared self-government in the town.

Women's role has been notable in the Silvan resistance, where some women have taken up trench-side positions, while others have led the organization of daily needs and morale in the neighborhood.

Yesterday afternoon, police deployed large numbers of armored vehicles and construction equipment at the entrance to all four of the neighborhoods. Around 3:45 p.m., police began an attack on the Tekel neighborhood.

Intense clashes began and the sounds of gunshots and explosions rang out from the neighborhood. Democratic Regions Party (DBP) and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) representatives, who had been trying to serve as mediators, were trapped in the clashes.

Sibel Yiğitalp, Parliamentary representative for the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), reported yesterday afternoon from the area under police attack that clashes had intensified and that the district governor was refusing their requests to talk. Sibel reported that with people in the streets and severe clashes ongoing with soldiers, a civilian massacre was possible.

(gc/cm)