Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP)

On July 20, 32 people were killed in a suicide bombing attack on a cultural centre in Suru莽, a town in Turkish Kurdistan. More than 100 were injured. Suru莽 is located across the border from the Syrian Kurdish town of Koban锚, which was besieged by forces of the self-styled Islamic State terrorist group, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), between September and January.
Celebrations in Bak谋rk枚y following HDP鈥檚 success in the general election June 2015.

At least 30 people were killed and more than 100 injured on July 20, when ISIS suicide bomber from the self-styled Islamic State group attacked a cultural centre in the Kurdish town of Suru莽, on the Turkish side of the border from Kobane.

YPJ fighters defending Koban锚, June 26, 2015.

The 鈥淚slamic State鈥 (IS) terror group attacks in Tunisia, Kuwait and France have grabbed global attention and condemnation. But the group's attack on Kobane in Rojava (Syrian Kurdistan) 鈥 and the fierce resistance 鈥 has been largely ignored.

Turkish-backed terrorists have massacred civilians in Koban锚. Photo: Kurdish Resistance & Liberation/Facebook.
HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtas.

A delegation of six elections monitors sponsored by the Peace in Kurdistan Campaign to observe the June 7 Turkish election witnessed a stunning result took the left-wing Kurdish-based Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) into parliament for the first time.

In the June 7 Turkish elections, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP), which has ruled Turkey since 2002, won the largest vote and share of the new parliament 鈥 258 of the 550 seats. But in a dramatic rise in its vote, the left-wing People's Democratic Party (HDP) came equal third, winning 80 seats.
One of those injured in June 5 bombing of HDP election rally casts their vote.
HDP bombing victims

Two blasts ripped through a rally of the left-wing HDP (People鈥檚 Democratic Party) in the city of Amed (Diyarbakir) southeastern Turkey (North Kurdistan) on June 5, killing four people and injuring more than 400 just two days before a general election, the Dicle News Agency (DIHA) said.

Photo: Kurdpress.com. The June 7 elections to Turkey鈥檚 Grand National Assembly are shaping up to be the most important in a long time. The bold decision of the People鈥檚 Democratic Party (HDP) to run as a party and strive to exceed the grossly undemocratic 10% threshold needed to win representation in parliament has put the group at the political centre stage.
HDP supporters at an election rally, Turkey 2015.

A lot is at stake in Turkey鈥檚 parliamentary elections to be held on June 7 鈥 for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) as well as the oppressed Kurdish population.

鈥淭he Gezi Resistance is the biggest popular uprising in modern Turkish history,鈥 said long-time socialist activist Nuray Sancar. 鈥淚t smashed the fear we have been living with since the military coup in 1980.鈥 It has now been a year since the Gezi Resistance started with a handful of people protecting trees in Gezi Park in Istanbul's Taksim Square in June last year. Protests spread to 79 cities across Turkey in the next few months.