The polls are closing in Turkey’s first ever joint parliamentary and presidential elections, with allegations of voter fraud and intimidation at some ballot boxes being reported.
In the town of Suruc, close to the Syrian border, footage emerged purporting to show shots being fired amid a dispute near a polling station.
Suruc has been particularly tense after an incident last week in the southeastern town in which the entourage of a pro-Erdogan lawmaker became embroiled in a dispute with a shop owner and his family who are pro-Kurdish HDP supporters.
Guns were produced and two men, including the lawmaker’s brother, were killed at the scene. Two more men later died in hospital in contested circumstances.
Across the country, over 188,000 ballot boxes will soon be closed before transportation to counting centers. A small army of international monitors and Turkish volunteer observers are attempting to prevent electoral fraud, allegations of which peaked in 2017’s referendum on creating an executive presidency.
The country’s electoral authorities have said they will produce results before midnight.
#Seçim2018 | Şanlıurfa'nın Suruç ilçesinde 3 kişinin yaralandığı iddia edilen olaya ilişkin görüntüler ortaya çıktı.
via/@MAturkce pic.twitter.com/QVI3mWFKRc— dokuz8HABER (@dokuz8haber) June 24, 2018