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Chaos in Turkey as police use tear gas and water cannons to put down rioters protesting over Syr
Dozens of demonstrators were faced with tear gas and water cannons by police in Istanbul today as they protested against the Turkish government's policy towards Syria.Two groups of protesters were marching to Besiktas district near the Dolmabahce Palace on the European side of the city when officers blocked their path, reports the state-run Anatolia News Agency. Some of the demonstrators, said to be mainly students, tried to climb barriers while police used water cannons and tear gas on the groups. Others took refuge in the historic Dolmabahce Mosque. The crackdown followed similar scenes in Ankara yesterday, where clashes between students and security forces using cannons and gas saw 30 arrested and two injured. Crowds in Istanbul and Ankara were protesting against prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's funding and support for the Syrian rebels against President Bashar Assad. Syria has accused the Turkish government of facilitating the flow of arms, explosives, vehicles, fighters and money to rebels across the border. Turkey, a Nato member, has hosted opposition leaders, rebel commanders and thousands of refugees since the Syrian civil war began. Posted by: tipper 2013-05-16 |
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