Turkish opposition leader is attacked at funeral of soldier

Angry mob attack Turkish politician for using soldier’s funeral as ‘a photo opportunity’

  • Kemal Kilicdaroglu was taken to a nearby house by security forces after attack
  • He later told crowd of supporters the assailants had no respect for dead soldier
  • Leader added that he was not saddened by the attack and that it would not stop him from defending the law

The leader of Turkey’s main opposition party has been attacked by an angry mob as he attended the funeral of a soldier who died fighting Kurdish militants.

Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the Republican People’s Party (CHP),  was taken to a nearby house by security forces for his protection after a furious attack was launched against him on Sunday, according to Anadolu state news agency.         

Following the incident, Mr Kilicdaroglu’s party confirmed their leader had been attacked. 

The leader of Turkey’s main opposition party, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, was attacked by an angry mob in Turkey

Mr Kilicdaroglu, leader of the Republican People's Party (CHP), was taken to a nearby house by security forces for his protection, according to Anadolu state news agency

Mr Kilicdaroglu, leader of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), was taken to a nearby house by security forces for his protection, according to Anadolu state news agency

The opposition leader had been attending the funeral of a soldier who was killed during clashes with Kurdish rebels at the Iraq border

The opposition leader had been attending the funeral of a soldier who was killed during clashes with Kurdish rebels at the Iraq border

A video circulating on social media showed a mob pushing and shoving Mr Kilicdaroglu as he made his way through the crowd. 

A party official said: ‘Kilicdaroglu is at the CHP headquarters right now. He is fine.’

In a speech later outside CHP headquarters, Mr Kilicdaroglu said the attack targeted Turkey’s unity.

He told a crowd of 1,000 supporters from the top of a bus: ‘The assailants have no respect for the martyr (dead soldier).

‘They are not geniune Muslims.’

The leader added that he was not saddened by the attack and that it would not deter him from defending law and justice.

Following his attack Mr Kilicdaroglu addressed his supporters and said the attack targeted Turkey's unity

Following his attack Mr Kilicdaroglu addressed his supporters and said the attack targeted Turkey’s unity

Fans showed their solidarity after the CHP leader was attacked while attending the funeral of a soldier

Fans showed their solidarity after the CHP leader was attacked while attending the funeral of a soldier

Following the attack Ankara governor's office said legal action has been launched against the culprits. Pictured: A group of nationalist try to reach Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu

Following the attack Ankara governor’s office said legal action has been launched against the culprits. Pictured: A group of nationalist try to reach Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu 

The group first protested against Mr Kilicdaroglu’s presence at the funeral in the Cubuk district of the capital Ankara and then attacked him with blows, Anadolu confirmed.

The Ankara governor’s office said in a statement: ‘Legal action has been launched against the culprits of the incident.’

The CHP last month won Ankara and Istanbul mayors’ offices in local elections in a setback for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling party.

Erodgan’s AKP is appealing for a rerun of the Istanbul election, citing irregularities in the very tight race against the CHP candidate Ekrem Imamoglu.

The Chairman of the Republican People's Party is protected by bodyguards and security after he was attacked by protesters

The Chairman of the Republican People’s Party is protected by bodyguards and security after he was attacked by protesters

Mr  Kilicdaroglu waved to his supporters after being attacked by protesters during the funeral of a soldier

Mr  Kilicdaroglu waved to his supporters after being attacked by protesters during the funeral of a soldier

Election authorites last week granted Mr Imamoglu his mandate after carrying out a limited recount that showed he had won the city by a very slim margin of around 13,000 votes.

The party held Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu responsible for the attack because the minister said last year he had ordered the governors not to let CHP members to join martrys’ funerals.

‘That’s why he is found responsible for this provocation,’ a party official said.

Shortly after the attack, Soylu said it could not be accepted. 

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