The Turkish state launched a military operation – later referred to the ‘Eren-2 Lice Operation’ – in the rural areas of Çağdaş (Cinezur), Dibek (Derxust), Arıklı (Hiseynik) and Bağlan (Mişirf) in Lice district in Diyarbakır on 9 January.
One soldier was killed and three others were reportedly injured in a clash with the Peoples’ Defence Units (HPG). Several civilians were detained and arrested during the operation. A committee from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) visited the region to assess its nature and impacts.
First phase of the operation: Eight arrests
Access to neighbourhoods were closed by soldiers following the clash and villagers were detained in the first phase of raids that took place in the different neighbourhoods of the district. Many villagers were threatened by soldiers during the raids.
Mehmet Şah Bozkuş, Sıddık Özkan, Ferzende Özkan and Ömer Yıldırım were amongst the eight civilians arrested on the charge of being ‘members of an organisation’ between 9-18 January.
Second phase of the operation: Nineteen arrests
After these detentions and arrests, the wide-ranging operation continued in the region. Army troops raided several houses in Dibek (Derxust), Budak (Xezmaz) and Yolçatı (Sise) neighbourhoods of Lice as well as the district centre and 35 people were detained on drugs charges. They were sent to couthouses on different days. Nineteen of the 35 people were arrested, seven were released on bail. In total, sixteen people were released.
MA: False accusations of drugs involvement were made
According to Mesopotamia Agency (MA), the operation was not linked to ‘drugs’ but was related to clashes that had taken place between the HPG and the Turkish army. Soldiers did not search for ‘drugs’ during the raids against houses but for an injured HPG member, MA reported.
Villagers were reportedly ‘subjected to insults by the soldiers and handcuffed behind their backs’
After arrests had been made, the committee consisting of HDP deputies Remziye Tosun, Semra Güzel and several party executives, visited the villagers where villages the operation had been carried out. According to villagers who were interviewed, they were subjected to insults by the soldiers and handcuffed behind their backs. The HDP committee is continuing with its research into the operation in the district.
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https://medyanews.net/yeni/turkeys-military-operation-in-lice-continues/
