On 6 and 7 October 2014 , riots erupted in various cities in Turkey for protesting the Siege of Kobani . Protesters were met with tear gas and water cannons ; 37 people were killed in protests . Following the July 2015 crisis ( after ISIL 's 2015 Suruç bombing attack on Kurdish activists ) , Turkey bombed alleged PKK bases in Iraq , following the PKK 's unilateral decision to end the cease-fire ( after many months of increasing tensions ) and its suspected killing of two policeman in the town of Ceylanpınar ( which the group denied carrying out ) . Violence soon spread throughout the country . Many Kurdish businesses were destroyed by mobs . The headquarters and branches of the pro-Kurdish rights Peoples ' Democratic Party were also attacked . There are reports of civilians being killed in several Kurdish populated towns and villages . The Council of Europe raised their concerns over the attacks on civilians and the blockade of Cizre . By 2017 , measures taken to curtail efforts to promote Kurdish culture within Turkey had included changing street names that honored Kurdish figures , removing statues of Kurdish heroes , and closing down television channels broadcasting in the Kurdish language
2015 Suruç bombing
2015 Suruç bombing
Kurds in Turkey