ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A team of Rudaw reporters were attacked in Ankara on Saturday by the supporters of the People’s Democratic Congress (HDK) outside the left-wing organisation’s party congress. Reporter Asad Ayidin and technician Farouq Albayraq were injured in the attack and a camera was broken, Rudaw Media Network said in a statement. Other equipment was seized by the attackers. Rudaw reporter Sawkat Harki asked the attackers to calm down and tried to explain that the team was there at the request of the HDK to cover the congress of the party, which supports Kurdish rights. The attackers accused Rudaw’s team of collaborating with the Turkish MIT intelligence services. The incident was reported to police and legal action was being pursued, the statement said. The Rudaw statement strongly condemned the attack and said it regarded the incident as an attack on the free media. It urged HDK officials to take a stand against the attack.
