ANKARA, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Turkish authorities on Wednesday removed a mayor in the eastern province of Siirt following a conviction on "terrorism-related" charges, the country's interior ministry said.
The former mayor Sofya Alagas was sentenced to six years and three months in prison by a Diyarbakir court for being a member of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), said the ministry in a statement.
As a result, she was dismissed from her role, and Siirt Governor Dr. Kemal Kizilay was appointed as acting mayor, according to the statement.
The Turkish government has recently replaced several mayors and municipality members affiliated with pro-Kurdish parties, citing security concerns and alleged links to the PKK.
The PKK, designated as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States, and the European Union, has been engaged in armed rebellion against the Turkish government for four decades. ■
