JINHA

AMED - In the town of Silvan, in Diyarbakır province, heavy clashes began early this morning and one youth has been killed. The local party Democratic Regions Party (DBP) has warned of a possible massacre.

For six days now, locals in the town of Silvan, in Northern Kurdistan (in Turkey) have been defending their neighborhoods from police raids and military activity by digging trenches in the streets. Since last night at 1:00 a.m., the provincial governor has announced an indefinite curfew in Silvan. Now, Internet and telephone lines have gone out in the town. With a large number of soldiers being deployed to the Silvan district, communication is cut with Silvan.

Locals have reported that when they try to leave their homes, police have shouted insults at them and targeted them with tear gas. Heavy clashes are ongoing in the neighborhoods of Tekel, Mescit, Konak and Selahattin, under the control of youth self-defense volunteers. Smoke is rising above all four neighborhoods.

"There are clashes continuing. People can't go outside. We can't even lift our heads," said one Silvan resident, who wished to remain anonymous. The resident reported that clashes are ongoing and houses are being burned in the neighborhoods. Villagers from the surrounding area have tried to reach Silvan, but roads are closed and they are not being allowed access.

A delegation of representatives from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and DBP has also been denied access, with police turning them away at the border of the district.

(şg/mg/cm)