ISTANBUL — Ethnic and religious minorities in Turkey are on edge after a series of threats and attacks, with both government officials and their critics warning society’s most vulnerable are being targeted to foment strife.

Kurds, Christians and others have all faced intimidation or outright violence in recent weeks in what appear to be mostly unrelated incidents. Yet they coincide with growing economic uncertainty and political tensions wrought in part by the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 4,500 people in Turkey and hammered the economy.

Conflicting reports about the motive behind the stabbing death of a 20-year-old Kurd in Ankara has stoked anger on both sides of the divide in Turkey. Members of Baris Cakan’s family initially said a group of men stabbed him in the heart for listening to Kurdish music. His father then said a dispute between Cakan and his killers erupted when he told the group to turn down their music during the call to prayer. Three men have been arrested in the probe.

Fahrettin Altun, a senior adviser to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, tweeted that allegations Cakan was killed for listening to Kurdish music were “an ugly perception operation” and that a recent spate of “fake news” revealed a “systemic campaign” to tarnish security forces and harm national unity.