In recent months, gangs calling themselves the Daltonlar, Casperlar and Redkitler have dominated public debate in Turkey. Composed largely of young people and emerging in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods, these groups have frequently made headlines in both Istanbul and Ankara through crimes ranging from extortion to assault.
While investigations into these groups continue, similar formations made up of children and young people pushed into crime have begun to surface in Kurdistan due to both special warfare policies and a lack of oversight. In Diyarbakır (Amed), particularly in low-income areas such as Bağlar, Sur and Şehitlik, certain Salafi-leaning groups have begun to spread fear and anxiety among residents.
In a city where two people have been killed and another injured in just the past week, residents say similar gangs stand behind these incidents. Citizens living in Bağlar are urging both law enforcement and civil society organizations to take action to prevent the escalation of such crimes.
They arm themselves for money
The groups referred to by locals as “Salafi groups” differ from other radical religious circles in Bağlar and Sur. These Salafi-leaning groups or gang formations, which reportedly have no connection with other local radical networks, have begun to appear more visibly in recent years. In a city where crime is steadily rising, offences such as shop shootings, assaults and extortion have become increasingly systematic.
Those familiar with the situation say these groups are largely composed of young people between the ages of 15 and 20, and that the leaders of the gangs are also young. They add that younger children are being drawn into crime in exchange for money. Concentrated particularly in Bağlar, these incidents have become even more visible in the past week, and the killing of a resident has pushed public anxiety to a new level.
Shops that refuse to pay extortion are under attack
On 11 November in Diyarbakır, a resident named Yunus Atabey was killed in an armed attack. The perpetrator, who was detained shortly after the shooting, confessed to the murder by saying, “They gave me money, so I did it. I don’t even know who ordered it.” Before this killing, another resident from Hazro was shot in the leg in Bağlar.
Alongside these incidents, a jewellery shop in the district was riddled with gunfire, and a Syrian restaurateur operating near Dörtyol was forced to close his business after being beaten and threatened. Local sources we spoke to stated that both the jeweller and the restaurant owner were targeted because they refused to pay extortion, stressing that the issue is not limited to a single shop, many businesses are being coerced into paying money through threats and the use of firearms.
People can no longer go out at night
Local sources pointed out that many of the individuals involved in these activities are young and often patriotic youths, noting that unemployed young people join these groups both to earn some money and to display power. They added that, beyond the jeweller, many other shops are under threat for refusing to pay extortion, while neighborhood head in the district are in frequent contact with law enforcement to find a solution.
The neighborhood head said that the police informed them, “We conducted a raid recently. Preparations regarding this issue are ongoing.” They emphasized, however, that residents are unable to go out in the evenings because of these individuals. With armed men openly carrying weapons in their waistbands and roaming the streets to display dominance, people cannot even step outside their doors, the mukhtars reported, calling for an urgent solution to the problem.
The streets have been left empty
Residents noted that business owners who want to open a shop in the district first find themselves confronted by these gangs, and those who refuse to pay extortion are forced to shut down. This situation is visible not only in Bağlar but also in Sur, where commercial activity is concentrated.
Citizens who spoke to ANF repeated their urgent call for action, stressing that the situation must not be allowed to resemble what is happening in Istanbul or Ankara: “Among the main factors behind this situation are the lack of oversight in the streets and the deep unemployment and poverty faced by young people. To earn a little money, young people engage in these acts without knowing whom they are beating or whom they are shooting. There is a serious vacuum of control in the streets. Especially in the narrow alleys, people are afraid to go out in the evenings. This situation worsens day by day.
These gangs have become visible particularly in the past three years. Even though some people know more about the issue, no one speaks out because of fear. For example, these groups do not exist in other areas, but they operate in Bağlar, Sur and Fiskaya, where poor communities live. No one questions why, but everyone remains silent in the face of the threat.
Civil society organizations and other authorities who want to put a stop to this must come to these neighborhoods and start maintaining a presence; otherwise, even more young people will be lost. Even very small children are beginning to admire weapons and these individuals. Both the state and all relevant institutions must take responsibility and act.”