World Bulletin / News Desk 

Turkish dailies on Friday mainly covered attacks on the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) in eastern Turkey.

Papers also reported on a new wave of Syrian people entering Turkey plus other political party election rallies being held across the country.

Two vehicles belonging to the HDP have come under attack in recent days in two separate incidents in eastern Turkey. One driver was killed and another injured in the attacks.

One HDP van was attacked in the eastern province of Bingol late on Wednesday when unidentified gunmen opened fire and killed the driver, Hamdullah Oge.

Papers also covered violence linked to a planned HDP rally on Thursday afternoon in the eastern province of Erzurum.

A HDP minibus which was on its way to the meeting was attacked by stone-throwing assailants, leaving the driver injured. “Provocation in Erzurum,” was CUMHURIYET’s headline, featuring a photograph of a group of men openly holding knives on the streets of the eastern city.

The newspaper reported that a group of unidentified people attacked HDP minibuses heading towards the election rally. The mob continued to attack the vehicle even after police intervened, security forces said. One police officer also suffered head injuries in the incident.

The vehicle was set on fire even after it was tied to a police tow truck.

“Do not go out on the streets,” said VATAN, quoting HDP leader Selahattin Demirtas speaking at the election rally which eventually took place once police restored order.

The daily said that Demirtas called for common sense: “Do not get provoked. Do not make a celebration before the election [result].”

HURRIYET reported that a 1,000-strong mob had taken to the streets of the city, ahead of the HDP meeting, chanting against Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed leader of outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

The PKK is listed by Turkey, the EU and the U.S. as a terrorist organization.

In other news, Turkish dailies wrote that Syrian civilians were crossing the southern Turkish border after clashes between Daesh militants and Kurdish fighters. While VATAN said around 2,000 Syrian people had entered Turkey, MILLIYET put the number at 3,000.

VATAN ran two photographs of Syrian civilians at the Turkish border, weighed down with their belongings, with the headlines “entry” and “exit”. The newspaper also claimed that hundreds of Syrian people were attempting to reach Greek islands off Turkey’s Aegean coast.

In election news, Turkish dailies also covered political party leaders’ rallies as the country enters the last few days before the June 7 contest.

Turkey’s Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu met with young members of his ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party in Istanbul. HABER TURK said Davutoglu called on young members to vote at the election.

Kemal Kilicdaroglu, chairman of the main opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, toured the Turkish capital Ankara. MILLIYET said Kilicdaroglu claimed during a live broadcast on Thursday that the HDP would surpass the 10-percent electoral threshold in this contest.

“The HDP gets most of their votes from AK Party voters. Will the HDP surpass the threshold? The polls suggest so; they will.”

Political parties in Turkey must garner at least 10 percent of the national vote to enter parliament.

HURRIYET said Devlet Bahceli, chairman of the opposition Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, made his last stop at his hometown of Osmaniye and the MHP stronghold of Adana in southern Turkey.

The daily also said HDP leader Demirtas told supporters in Erzurum not to leave polling stations until the official results were announced.