DİHA - Dicle News Agency

DİYARBAKIR (DİHA) - The general co-chair of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) has called the bomb attacks on the Diyarbakır HDP meeting "dirty provocation."

With just two days to go until Turkey's June 7 election, hundreds of thousands were out at the massive HDP rally in Diyarbakır's İstasyon Square. As HDP general co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş was preparing to take to the stage, an explosion took place, followed immediately by a second. At least 20 were wounded, one killed.

"The provocations are incessant," said the general co-chair, commenting on the string of attacks on HDP rallies and volunteers over the last few days. "These are all dirty attempts at provocation designed to push the HDP under the elections threshold," he said, referring to Turkey's 10% electoral threshold, which the HDP has been attempting to overcome to enter Parliament.

'We will overcome the threshold'

Selahattin Demirtaş has called on the people of Diyarbakır, especially youth, to remain calm and reasonable in the wake of the attack. He has called on the crowds to leave the streets and come to the party's provincial building, where he has made an announcement. "The goal was to create an explosion in the square and for clashes to spread to the entire city," he said. He called on citizens not to fall into the trap.

"We will continue their elections preparations as usual. We will overcome the threshold. We will use our democratic rights at the polls," he said.

(cm/nt)