08.06.2026 11:41
An armed attack was carried out on the branch of Yapı Kredi, which is under the Koç Holding umbrella, in the Sur district of Diyarbakır last night around 23:00 due to Rahmi Koç's "Kurdish woman joke". While it was determined that shots were fired at the shutters, a sign hung at the branch stated, "Our branch is unable to provide service, you can get support from other branches." Armed attacks had also been carried out on Koç's Otokoç General Directorate in Istanbul and the Otokoç gallery in Antalya.
Businessman Rahmi Koç's joke, told at a hospital opening in Izmir and causing severe public backlash, has escalated into physical attacks on businesses under the Koç Holding umbrella. Following Istanbul and Antalya, the latest incident occurred in Diyarbakır.
ATTACKED BANK BRANCH CLOSED
According to information received, an armed attack was carried out by unidentified person or persons on the Yapı Kredi branch, operating under Koç Holding in the central Sur district of Diyarbakır, last night around 11:30 PM.
The incident came to light in the morning when bank employees arriving for work noticed bullet marks on the windows. Upon notification, teams from the Diyarbakır Police Department were dispatched to the area, closing Gazi Street to traffic and launching a comprehensive investigation in front and around the branch. The bank branch, temporarily closed for service after the attack, had a notice posted at its entrance informing that transactions could be processed at other branches.
THE JOKE THAT SPARKED THE INCIDENTS
At the root of this wave of attacks, spreading to three different provinces across the country, lies an event that occurred a few days ago. A joke told by Rahmi Koç during the opening ceremony of Izmir American Hospital, owned by Koç Healthcare under the Vehbi Koç Foundation, became the starting point of the crisis.
At the event, where former Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım, Izmir Governor Süleyman Elban, and Izmir Metropolitan Mayor Cemil Tugay were also present in the protocol, Koç told a joke about a dialogue between a doctor and a Kurdish woman, criticized for containing sexist and racist elements. The spread of footage on social media and the cameras capturing Binali Yıldırım laughing at the joke further amplified public reaction. Following the growing outrage, the Izmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched an ex officio investigation into Rahmi Koç's remarks.
DETAINMENTS IN ISTANBUL AND ANTALYA ATTACKS
Prior to the bank shooting in Diyarbakır, the initial targets were the buildings of Otokoç, Koç Holding's representative in the automotive sector.
Gunfire was opened by two masked individuals at Otokoç's General Directorate building in Maltepe. While material damage occurred at the building, police teams apprehended the two attackers.
A similar incident occurred in broad daylight in Antalya. Around 3:30 PM, a hat-wearing individual with a concealed face opened fire from under a pedestrian overpass at a car gallery on Serik Street in Altınova neighborhood. Three bullet casings were found at the scene, and the Antalya Police Department detained three suspects identified through their escape routes.