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Turkish soccer team lands in political hot water

The soccer team of Turkey’s largest Kurdish-majority city has become the target of nationalist animosity from rival fans as well as the government, which accuses the club of being linked to armed Kurdish militants.

Amedspor players (L) stand still to protest Turkish Football Federation after the kick-off their Turkish Cup quarter final first leg soccer match against Fenerbahce in the Kurdish-dominated southeastern city of Diyarbakir, Turkey February 9, 2016. Two rival Turkish football teams stood defiantly behind a banner urging peace on Tuesday before playing a surreal quarter final match to an empty stadium in Turkey's conflict-ridden southeast following a ban on spectators for chanting political slogans. The confli
Amedspor players (L) stand still in protest of the Turkish Football Federation after the kickoff of their Turkish Cup soccer match against Fenerbahce in the Kurdish-dominated southeastern city of Diyarbakir, Turkey, Feb. 9, 2016. — REUTERS/Sertac Kayar

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