Deadly clashes in Turkish city of Diyarbakir

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Turkish special forces position themselves during clashes in centre of Diyarbakir. 9 June 2015Image source, AFP
Image caption,

Turkish special forces sealed off the area of Diyarbakir where the shootings took place

Three people have been shot dead after violence erupted in Turkey's mainly Kurdish south-eastern city of Diyarbakir.

Clashes broke out after the head of a charity linked to a Kurdish Islamist party was killed, reports said.

It is not yet clear who was behind the violence.

It comes two days after national elections in which the pro-Kurdish HDP party won seats in Turkey's parliament for the first time.

Aytac Baran, head of the Yeni Ihya Der charity group, was fatally shot as he left his office in the city, officials said.

Clashes then erupted in which two other people died, the interior ministry quoted by Turkish media said. Initial reports said three had died.

A policeman and two journalists were injured, officials added.

Yeni Ihya Der is linked to the Islamist Huda Par political party, according to analysts.

Correspondents says relations between the supporters of Huda Par and another Kurdish group, the People's Democratic Party, are tense.

Image source, AP
Image caption,

Buildings were hit by stray bullets when the clashes broke out

The People's Democratic Party strongly condemned the attack.

The HDP and Huda Par called for calm and asked people in Diyarbakir not to take to the streets and to avoid any provocation.

BBC Turkish's Murat Nisancioglu says the killings, coming immediately after the elections, will escalate tensions in the Kurdish areas.

Last Friday, three people were killed and scores injured in a bomb attack on a HDP rally in Diyarbakir. It is not clear who was behind the attack.

In Sunday's national elections, the HDP crossed the 10% threshold for the first time, securing 80 seats in parliament.