JINHA

AMED - Several young people have been wounded as Turkish police attacked residents during a daylong walkout in the largely Kurdish city of Diyarbakır.

In Northern Kurdistan (in Turkey), Turkish security forces have escalated raids and attacks on towns and neighborhoods that had declared self-government. Several have been killed in heavy clashes in the towns of Silvan and Lice over the last two weeks.

The local political party Democratic Regions Party (DBP) called on people in the main Kurdish city of Diyarbakır to stop life for the day. The action was held in protest against the attacks on Silvan and Lice. Police responded by touring the city dispersing tear gas and using live ammunition at times. Clashes broke out on several main avenues in the Bağlar district.

Police bullets to the head left two boys wounded. 16-year-old Ramazan Yılmaz remains in serious condition. Police arrested 10 wounded individuals who went to the city's Educational and Research Hospital for treatment.

At times, finding no one in the streets, police raided homes seemingly at random. Police broke in the door of a Baglar district house and arrested a father named Cahit Vural and his son Şaban. When neighbors objected, police pulled guns on them.

Police also targeted a group of children playing in the street nearby at Emek Avenue. Police first fired tear gas at the children, between the ages of seven and 15. They then tried to arrest them. When neighbors descended to stop the arrests, police opened fire with live ammunition. Residents managed to save the children from arrest.

In the Sur district, security forces entered the neighborhood in five armored vehicles firing tear gas. The police raided the neighborhood assembly, which has declared self-government. They told those in the assembly that if they did not leave the neighborhood, police would start an attack. A three-year-old child suffering from the effects of tear gas had to be evacuated from the neighborhood.

Police targeted journalists attempting to film events.

(be-şa/fk/ekip/mg/