Turkey detains 10 officials, expands crackdown on Istanbul opposition

Turkish police have detained 10 senior officials from opposition-run district municipalities in Istanbul, including deputy mayors and council members from the Republican People’s Party (CHP), over alleged links to Kurdish militants. The crackdown is viewed as an attempt by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government to undermine Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a potential rival. Critics argue that the detentions are politically motivated, particularly as the CHP made significant gains in the last local elections, challenging Erdogan’s ruling party. The arrests follow an investigation into the alleged cooperation between the CHP and the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM) to strengthen the PKK's influence in urban areas. Imamoglu, facing his own legal challenges, condemned the detentions as a manifestation of Erdogan's authoritarianism. The CHP has called for an end to what they describe as a campaign of persecution against opposition figures.