According to the reports received, petrol tanks in South Raman petrol region, 200 meters close to Demirlipýnar Village, were attacked by a group claimed to be HPG (people Defense Force) guerillas.

The explosions, which lead to a fire, occurred as Demirlipýnar Village headman and ÝHD Batman Branch Ex-Chairman Sadi Özdemir, his brother Ex-BDP (Peace and Democracy Party) Executive Salih Özdemir, his 45 year old brother Sofi Özdemir and Batman Bar Association Ex-Chairman Sedat Özevin intended to go to the evenue with a car. At the explosion, 4 people in the car lost their lives.

An eyewitness, who doesn’t want to state his name, told the event as follows;

“In the evening hours, we saw mobility on the road by the stubble in Meymuniye Strait. Some people in military clothes have been batting around in the vicinity in recent months. Although we informed military officials about the case each time, they didn’t answer us. This time, villagers didn’t pay attention to these people and the usual scene until we later saw a light on a hill near to the stubble, which we were unable to understand. Then, suddenly a fire broke out and we heard a few gunshots. We informed the military to prevent the fire expanding to the petrol tank nearby but they didn’t lend themselves to us as the fire was in nomadic region and they said; ‘It is not a secure region at night hours and we won’t be taking any responsibilities in the case of villagers’ entering the region. Villagers supposed that it was a cheat of the military and didn’t go to the region. However, Özdemir brothers and Sedat Özevin, who were going on a visit in the village, wanted to come to villagers to see the happenings as they knew the region well. But before laid mines exploded. Whereon villagers took the corpses to the hospital."

Hundreds of people consisting BDP and civil society organization representatives run to the hospital as the autopsy of Özdemir brothers and Sedat Özevin are proceeding in Batman Regional State Hospital.

Translator: Berna Ozgencil