Turkish media reported that security forces defused an explosive device placed under a police car at a rally of the Turkish president

Alleged attempt on Recep Tayyip Erdogan's life foiled

photo_camera Murat Cetinmuhurdar/PPO/Handout vía REUTERS - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

The news of political and social instability in Turkey continues to follow one after the other. On this occasion, Turkish media reported on the defusing of a suspected bomb placed under a police car that was part of a convoy organised for a political rally of Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the southeast of Turkey, in the city of Siirt.

The explosive device was neutralised by the Ottoman police and fingerprints were collected with a view to launching a search operation for the possible perpetrators of this allegedly thwarted attempt. According to reports in various Turkish media, echoed by other media outlets such as Al Ain News and The Jerusalem Post, the police car was part of the political caravan in which the Turkish leader was participating. 

Despite what happened, Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave his speech and promised to continue fighting terrorism in the country. The Turkish government has for years accused the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) of having carried out terrorist acts in the south of Turkey, which is why it has been labelled a terrorist organisation.

Miembros del Partido de los Trabajadores del Kurdistán (PKK) en una carretera de las montañas de Qandil

"We will never allow their scourge to dominate our brothers living in the region again," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said publicly, as reported by Al Ain News. 

"We will not throw any of our young people into the brutal fangs of terrorism, and we will not allow it to continue until we completely eliminate this terrorist organisation from the country's agenda. Our government insists on its decision on this issue," he said, referring to the PKK, which is classified as a terrorist organisation by the Turkish administration. 

On the other hand, the Turkish opposition has been very active in recent years against the conservative and aggressive policies of Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government, marked by strong Islamism and harassment of opposition sectors within the existing political parties and even the army. 

The turning point came in 2016 with the alleged coup d'état against the government led by Recep Tayyip Erdogan, of which the government accused the opposition cleric Fethullah Gulen, Erdogan's political enemy, and his followers. Since this event, purges have been taking place in various sectors, including the military. 

Arrestos de la Policía turca

In addition, there have also been arrests and legal proceedings against opposition elements linked to the Kurdish movement, such as members of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), who are being persecuted by the government, which accuses this group of supporting the Kurds in violent acts. 

The Turkish political opposition, mainly the HDP and the Republican People's Party (CHP), has for years been denouncing the persecution carried out by the government and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), which has consisted of purges, arrests, judicial proceedings and interference in different sectors such as the army, opposition political groups and other spheres such as the judiciary and even the media. To all this must be added the economic and financial crisis that the Eurasian country is going through.

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