Turkish mayor, wife shot at home
The early morning shooting of a mayor and his wife in western Turkey has raised concerns among opposition lawmakers, who say a recently passed partial amnesty law may embolden criminals.
ISTANBUL — Mumtaz Senel, mayor of the Yesilova district in western Turkey, got a knock on his door at about 4:30 this morning from a person who identified himself as police.
When Senel opened the door, the assailant immediately shot five rounds, hitting the mayor in the legs and feet. Senel fell back and his wife was also hit when she attempted to intervene.
“That’s enough, your message is clear,” Senel shouted, before the gunman retreated to an escape vehicle and sped away. Both the mayor and his wife, Fatma Senel, underwent surgery following the attack and are now reportedly in stable condition.
Initial reports suggested the mayor, a member of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), may have been targeted for his environmental campaigns against the development of the nearby Salda Lake, a tourist attraction that has been slated for a controversial construction project. Famous for its white sands and clean water, it is locally known as the “Maldives of Turkey” or the “Saldives.”
