Speaking on Wednesday at the regular press briefing, US State Department Spokesperson, Morgan Ortagus, criticized Turkey for suspending Kurdish mayors from their positions in the cities of Diyarbakir, Van, and Mardin.

“In general, - she said - anywhere in the world, it’s always concerning when you see the removal of elected officials and then their replacement by unelected officials."

Ortagus added: "That’s obviously concerning, right? So what we hope is to see that Turkey resolves this matter in a way that is consistent with their commitment to democracy.”

When asked if new negotiations between the Turkish government and Kurds could be a better alternative, Ortagus replied: “We, of course, always encourage a broad approach in Turkey’s engagement with the Kurdish communities.”