Turkey: Mayor of SE district remanded in custody

SIRNAK, Turkey

The mayor of Turkey's southeastern Silopi district has been remanded in custody on Friday for allegedly helping the terrorist group PKK and its umbrella confederation KCK.

Emine Esmer of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP) was first arrested by squads from Silopi Police Department on Feb. 23 at her office on charges of "aiding and abetting PKK/KCK".

But the court released her, all the while imposing a judicial control.

Following the prosecutor's appeal, Esmer was arrested once again on Friday. This time, the court remanded her in custody pending trial.

Silopi district of Sirnak province has remained under curfew after the completion of Turkish security forces' anti-terror operations to clear urban centers of the PKK.

Turkey's southeast has been the scene of significant military operations against PKK terrorists since December. The operations in Silopi, Cizre and Diyarbakir's Sur have recently ended while anti-terror efforts in Sirnak's Idil district continue.

The PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- resumed its 30-year armed campaign late July. Since then, more than 280 members of the security forces have been martyred and thousands of PKK terrorists killed, according to officials.