Ertosi and Pinyanisi clans turn Turkey’s Hakkari into warzone

A clash between four members of the Ertosi and Pinyanisi Kurdish clans on July 19 caused bloodshed in Hakkari (Turkey), ITAR-TASS reports.

The cause of their argument is unknown. By the end of the day, other members of their clans began hostilities. Members of the Ertosi broke into the house of Mustafa Er, a member of the Pinyanisi, slaughtered him and injured his son. The incident sparked mass disorders, turning the center of Hikkari into a warzone.

Additional police officers and gendarmes were sent with armored vehicles and water cannons to stop violence and shooting. Tear gas and water cannons managed to stop the fight. Curfews were declared. SWAT teams are patrolling the streets.

Clans in the south-eastern part of Turkey are still an important aspect of everyday life. They consider their rules and laws above the Constitution or the Criminal Code. Some families have been at war with each other for decades.