ANKARA
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Monday that the week-long street violence in Turkey was intended to thwart the authority of the Turkish state and the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party.
"The intent and aim behind the vandalism was state authority, shops were also targeted. The third target was AK Party," he told a consultation meeting of the Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges, or TOBB, in capital Ankara.
Davutoglu's remarks came after last week's pro-Kurdish protests in Turkey's southeastern provinces, which broke out after Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant militants penetrated the Syrian Kurdish town of Kobani -- also known as Ayn al Arab -- on October 6.
The protesters have used the pretext that the Turkish government has allegedly done nothing to halt the relentless advance of the militants in Kobani, which has become a scene of fierce street battles between Kurdish groups and the militants.
"During this vandalism and spiral of violence that used Kobani as an excuse, thirty-three of our citizens have been killed, two policemen have fallen martyr, 135 others have been injured, 531 police cars and 631 civilian vehicles have been set on fire. A total of 122,000 buildings, including 214 schools, Qur'an courses, museums and libraries have been damaged," said the prime minister.
Davutoglu maintained that the "vandalism" not only sabotaged Turkey's Kurdish solution process, but also targeted its future and development efforts in the region.
The solution process is a peaceful effort of the Turkish government to end the decade-long conflict with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, which has claimed the lives of more than 40,000 people.
PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey as well as by the U.S. and the EU.
"We will certainly never let the solution process fall prey to terror. The best answer to vandalism is our solidarity," he added.
Head of the Turkish government reiterated that they will resolutely pursue the solution process, saying, "No matter what they do, they cannot cripple the public order."
Davutoglu is also scheduled later in the day to chair a meeting of his Cabinet in Ankara to discuss the protests and violence, its implications, and related steps and measures to be taken.
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