News Center- Early Monday morning, Turkish Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that the Co-mayors of Mardin, Êlih (Batman) and Xelfetî (Halfeti), three municipalities run by the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), have been removed from office and trustees have been appointed in their place.

“We won the municipality by receiving majority of votes in the local elections held on March 31 in Türkiye thanks to the efforts of women, youth and our people,” Êlih (Batman) Co-mayor Gülistan Sönük said in a post on social media platform X. “However, our municipality has been usurped as of this morning without any notification. We did not and will not accept this plundering and usurping regime. Municipalities belong to the people.”