Five more co-mayors from DBP-held municipalities across North Kurdistan have been imprisoned as part of the Turkish state's increasingly ongoing operations of political genocide that mainly target elected representatives and politicians of the Kurds.

Co-mayors of Baykan and Veysel Karani districts of Siirt province, that had recently been detained during house raids, were referred to court late yesterday evening after their procedures at police headquarters.

Baykan co-mayor Selva Erdoğan and Veysel Karani co-mayor Enes Cengiz were arrested soon later for allegedly “aiding and abetting a terrorist organisation”, and sent to Siirt E Type Closed Prison.

On the other hand, Co-mayors of Mutki, Hizan and Yolalan districts of Bitlis province were also referred to court yesterday evening after their detention on December 14.

Mutki Co-mayor Özcan Birlik, Hizan Co-mayor İhsan Uğur and Yolalan Co-mayor Felemez Aydın were all formally arrested for alleged “membership to a terrorist organisation”.