Police and special operation teams raided a number of houses in the province of Hakkari (Colemêrg) in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Eleven youngsters were taken into custody in the raids which as usual came at dawn; Metin Adıyaman (23), Ziya Demir (23), Mahser Didin (23), İmdat Özer (26), Mesut Tek (18), Serhat Bor (18), Ercan Akış (21), Deşvan Aslan (23), R.A (17), M.Ö (16), Y.Ö. (15). Among those detained by police is the son of BDP (Peace and Democracy Party) Hakkari provincial chair Rahmi Akdağ whose house has also been raided and searched in detail in the operation.

Speaking after the raid, Akdağ said that "It is apparent that they were looking for something but they couldn't find anything. They handcuffed my son without even allowing him to get out of the bed. They took my son after searching all the house in detail".

BDP executive's mother Zeynep Akdağ condemned the raid and told the followings;"Dozens of policemen entered my room and held their guns to my head. My small grandchild was sleeping near me, they woke her up also and messed the whole house up. They see us as enemies because we are Kurds, just like our fathers and their fathers before them. We cannot accept all these because we did not commit any crime. Police had detained my son also in the past and released him after many years, saying that he is not guilty. My grandchild is not guilty either. He did nothing but be a Kurd. We will not give up our struggle".

Detainees were taken to Hakkari police headquarters after going through medical examinations at Hakkari state hospital.