As detainees from Kobanê, including journalists, continue a hunger strike in protest against mistreatment by Turkish officials, it has emerged that 9 children are also not being provided with food.

More than 150 people evacuated from the outskirts of Kobanê on account of the intensifying clashes of the last three days are continuing a hunger strike against the treatment they have received at the hands of the Turkish authorities.

Journalist Mustafa Bali, who is one of those being held at the Suruç Vocational High School in the Aligör neighbourhood, said they had suffered persecution and arbitrary treatment and had consequently launched a hunger strike. He said that because of this 9 children also being detained were not being provided with food.

‘They shout and bawl at us but we don’t understand what they say’

Journalist Bali said: “They told us: ‘either you eat or we won’t give the children food.’ They constantly shout and bawl at us but we don’t understand what they’re saying.”

Bali said they would continue their hunger strike, and called for awareness of the situation of those who were ill and the children.