ANTALYA - After the forest fires in Manavgat, racist groups, which started to block roads and stop people at some points, are attacking Kurdish people.

 

The forest fire, which broke out for an unknown reason on July 28 in Antalya's Manavgat district, continues. As a result of the fire that spread to residential areas, 5 people have lost their lives and nearly 400 people have been injured so far. Thousands of animals were also killed in the fire, which caused 1,200 hectares of forest area burning down. 

 

Using the forest fires as an excuse to carry out racist attacks, some groups started to block roads and stop people, checking their IDs if they are Kurdish, hunting down the Kurds. The racist groups carrying weapons and clubs, are learned to be attacking people if they find out they are Kurdish.

 

MANAVGAT MAYOR SÖZER: RACIST ATTACKS WON'T MAKE ANYONE GAIN ANYTHING

 

Manavgat Mayor Şükrü Sözen also announced that some groups have been blocking roads and checking for IDs and firing their guns into the air. Sözen said: "These groups are supposedly searching for 'suspects and arsonists' on some disinformation, blocking roads, checking for IDs, firing into the air and make this whole process a lot harder. They are scaring innocent people and causing more pain. AS you know, we are not out of the woods yet."

 

SECURITY FOOTAGE

 

Some security footage of these racist groups were shared online. A video shows that a man was being chased by a group that have guns and clubs in their hands. Another footage shows a person whose hands are tied behind the back and someone firing towards him, which is followed by a scream.

 

RACIST GROUP STOPPED A CAR REGISTERED TO DENİZLİ, THINKING THE PLATE NUMBER WAS FROM DİYARBAKIR

 

It was also learned that the groups are checking for licence plate numbers and stopping cars registered to eastern cities. A group stopped a car registered in Denizli, thinking it was a Diyarbakır plate number and released the driver when they found out it was a Denizli plate number.

 

It was also learned that a citizen from Konya was stopped and a group tried to lynch him while he was trying to get his car out of the burning area. The citizen was released after the group found out he was not Kurdish.