Election Conditions İn Turkey's East 'Unsuitable': Hdp

Pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chairman Selahattin Demirtas has said the conditions to hold early election in Turkey's eastern parts on Nov. 1 are unsuitable.



Addressing the press at the Turkish parliament Wednesday, Demirtas said: "Unfortunately, there is currently no suitable condition in the east for elections".



His remarks came amid a spike in attacks on Turkish security forces mostly in the southeastern and eastern parts of the country after the July 20 deadly suicide bombing in the Suruc district of Sanliurfa that killed 34 people.



Demirtas, however, ruled out any decision by his party to boycott the early election and said that the party would instead work to maintain security during the election.



He also said that his party would vote against the motion expected to be debated in the Turkish parliament Thursday about extending the mandate of Turkish military's operations in Iraq and Syria.



The motion to introduce a one-year extension to the current mandate -- set to expire on Oct. 2 -- was submitted by the former cabinet on Aug. 21, citing "increased risks and threats against Turkey's national security along the southern land borders".



Regarding the PKK attack late Monday that killed a Turkish doctor in southeastern Diyarbakir province, Demirtas condemned the attack and described all such attacks as unacceptable.



"It is unacceptable even under the most immoral war conditions. They [doctors] have immunity," he said.



Since July 24, around 1,600 people have been arrested in waves of counter-terrorism operations against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) -- considered a terrorist group by Turkey, the EU and U.S. -- inside and outside of Turkey. - Ankara