JINHA

MÊRDÎN - Turkish police have slain a 16-year-old boy named Mazlum Turan in the largely Kurdish town of Kızıltepe. Police claim that they shot Mazlum when he refused an order to stop the vehicle.

Police killings of children continue in Northern Kurdistan (in Turkey). In the town of Kızıltepe, an explosion occurred last night near the Seyda Mosque, which lies along the historic Silk Road. The explosion targeted a passing police vehicle. It wounded 19, three of them seriously. In the wake of the explosion, police fired on a vehicle. They shot the 16-year-old boy driving the car, Mazlum Turan. Mazlum was rushed to the hospital, but could not be saved.

Mazlum's mother spoke to Firat News Agency about the killing. She said that after the explosion, violence broke out in the area.

"Mazlum's father has a shop near there. They sell live chickens. Mazlum was driving to the shop. His youngest sibling and his cousin were with him," she said. "As he was returning, the police stopped the car. As soon as the car stopped, the police opened fire on the car; they raked it with bullets." Doctors found three bullets in Mazlum's body. He was the eldest of four children.

"After the explosion the police opened fire on the cars that were coming to get the wounded, as well," she said. "They're just opening fire around them at random."

(gc/cm)