Kurdish activist violence brings Kobani conflict to Turkish streets
By promoting violent activism, the Kurdistan Workers Party is pressuring the Turkish government, while restricting the state to responding with narratives instead of military measures.
After the intensification of street battles between the Islamic State (IS) and Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in Kobani, the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) Executive Council released a statement that said, "Every Kurd and dignified person and friends should act now and enhance the resistance," calling for Kurdish youth to join the ranks of the fighters in Kobani.
Violent Kurdish protests spread to many cities in Turkey, including Ankara and Istanbul. At least 18 people have been killed so far, including 10 fatalities and 45 wounded in the clashes between pro-Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) Kurds and Kurdish-Islamist Huda-Par partisans in the city of Diyarbakir, heavily populated by Kurds.
In several towns of six provinces, including Diyarbakir, curfews were imposed for the first time in 15 years.
Kurdish politicians declared their strong support for the street actions while senior People's Democracy Party (HDP) member Pervin Buldan said, "Kobani has not fallen. If Kobani falls, the peace process will be over.” HDP Co-chair Selahattin Demirtas said in a speech at Suruc, across the border from Kobani, “There is no step back after his time. From seven to 70, we will all resist.”
