Ekrem İmamoğlu, the Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB), traveled to Mardin to visit Ahmet Türk, the co-mayor of Mardin Metropolitan Municipality, who was recently dismissed and replaced by a trustee.
Imamoğlu, who was welcomed with interest at the airport, accompanied by a convoy, went to Türk's mansion in Derik, known as Kasrı Kanco, which belongs to his family.
Ahmet Türk, whom MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli describes as a Kurdish agha from a deep-rooted family, is a well-known figure in the political arena.
The common point between Türk and İmamoğlu goes back almost 126 years. In an interview, Türk told the story of Kasrı Kanco as follows:
When 2nd Abdülhamit was overthrown, he was exiled to Trabzon
“My grandfather was the leader of the Dınna tribe, he was the district governor of Derik in the past and took part in the formation of the Hamidiye Regiments with İbrahim Pasha. Kasrı Kanco was built for defense purposes. There are battlements on it. When we look at the way the community lived here, my grandfather really created a very different lifestyle. After the overthrow of Sultan Abdülhamit, he was exiled to Trabzon. He was imprisoned for seven years and died shortly after his return. He was a person in the feudal structure of that period.”
Türk's grandfather was exiled to Trabzon in 1908. Almost 126 years after his grandfather was exiled to Trabzon, Ahmet Türk hosted a politician from Trabzon at Kasrı Kanco. Time will tell whether the warm welcome will turn into cooperation in a possible election.