12 youths executed in a house-raid in Van

2016-01-10 14:18:48

VAN (DİHA) - Special operation teams raided a house in Van's central Edremit district in the early hours of the morning, and executed 12 youths in the house, who were aged between 18 and 25.

According to witnesses, the youths in the house were all in civilian clothes and many of them were shot in the head. Only one Kalashnikov rifle has been found near the dead bodies of the youths, and it is suspected to have been left near them by police after the executions.

Wtnesses told that the raid was conducted by special operation teams on a two-storey house in Yeni neighborhood at around 5 am this morning. Armored vehicles also targeted the house with intense gunfire. Police forces blockaded the neighborhood during the raid that lasted 2 hours, after which many ambulances were sent to the scene.

Reports say that bodies of 12 people executed in the operation have been taken to Van Yüzüncü Yıl University Dursun Odabaşı Medical Center. Bodies are said to be belonging to youths aged between 18 and 25, who were all shot in the head apart from one who was shot in stomach. A large number of police have been deployed on the busiest streets in city centre which is witnessing a mobilization by police forces after the incident. 

In the meantime, a statement by the governor's office said 1 policeman died and 2 others were wounded in the raid operation, while '12 members of the terrorist organisation were captured dead'.

HDP deputies: Van incident is a mass execution, not clash

HDP Van MP Lezgin Botan who spoke to ANF about the incident said bodies of 12 youths, all aged 18-25, have been taken to a hospital morgue. Botan said the youths were shot in the head, and described the incident as not a clash but mass execution. He added that police forces have blockade the scene of the executions and hospital where youths are being held now.

'It cannot possibly be a clash'

HDP Van deputy Tuğba Hezer told that; "Apart from one, all have been shot in the head. They are all young people in civilian clothes, as has been conveyed to us by those who saw the bodies. Not every single one of them can possible be shot in the head during a clash. It is not possible. This is a mass execution. Police have evacuated and entirely blockaded the hospital."

(nt)