The mayors of Diyarbakır, Mardin, and Van Metropolitan were dismissed by the Ministry of Interior and replaced with state-appointed officials.

"The mayors, who are associated with terrorist organizations and who have evidence and determined that they support terrorist organizations, have been removed from office by our ministry in accordance with Article 127 of the Constitution and Article 47 of the Municipal Law No. 5393, and the mayors have been appointed in accordance with Article 45 of the municipal law," the ministry said.

The ministry continued in the statement that Diyarbakır Metropolitan Mayor Adnan Selçuk Mızraklı has eight different investigation files on charged of establishing or managing an armed terrorist organization, being a member of an armed terrorist organization, propagating a terrorist organization, praising the crime and the guilty.

The ministry also announced that there are four investigation files, including two prosecution cases against Mardin Metropolitan Mayor Ahmet Türk.

For Van Metropolitan Mayor Bedia Özgökçe Ertan, interior ministry said; our ministry has received many reports, complaints, and information - instead of meeting the local and collective needs of the people, they have started practices that support the aims, ideological discourses and actions of the separatist terrorist organization and that they have directed the facilities of the municipality to support the terrorist organization.

The ministry has appointed Diyarbakır Governor Hasan Basri Güzeloğlu as Diyarbakır Metropolitan Mayor, Mardin Governor Mustafa Yaman as Diyarbakır Metropolitan Mayor, and Van Governor Mehmet Emin Bilmez as Van Metropolitan Mayor.

ILKHA