Mardin, Turkey (AINA) -- Turkey removed the two co-mayors of Mardin today and replaced them with a so-called qayyum (guardian). The co-mayors, Februniye Akyol and Ahmet Turk, were elected co-mayors of Mardin on March 30, 2014. Februniye Akyol was the first Assyrian female mayor in Turkey and ran as a member of a Kurdish political party.

To date Turkey has removed 30 mayors suspected of having ties to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and Fethullah Gülen. Turkish authorities continue to dismiss elected mayors in southeast Turkey. Several big cities are now controlled by a qayyum.

Based on reporting by AssyriaTV.