Turkey has ousted two more elected pro-Kurdish mayors from office, citing terrorism-related charges against them An Interior Ministry statement said the mayors were replaced with state-appointed administrators over their past convictions or current investigations for links to the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party,

Turkey stripped two elected pro-Kurdish mayors of their posts in eastern cities on Friday, for convictions on terrorism-related offences, the interior ministry said, temporarily appointing state officials in their places instead.

The mayors of two towns in eastern Turkey were jailed for links to a banned Kurdish militant group. While Ankara says it must maintain security, President Erdogan's critics say the firings undermined democracy,

Clashes erupted in eastern Turkey after pro-Kurdish mayors were replaced with state officials:: Tunceli, Turkey::According to the interior ministry, the mayors were punished for convictions on terrorism-related offences,