Mehmet Direk, a member of the district executive board of Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), was shot dead at a cemetery in the southeastern city of Batman. His son Ercan Direk and nephew Bekir Direk were also killed in the attack, according to Hüseyin Şansi, the head of the party’s local branch in Batman.

According to local media reports, the incident occurred on the evening of July 26 at a city cemetery in the Güneykent district. Unknown assailants opened fire on Direk and his relatives before fleeing the scene. Police cordoned off the area and launched an operation to search for the suspects.

“This tragedy has deeply shaken all of us. I ask the Almighty to grant mercy to the deceased, and patience to their family, relatives, friends, and our party organization,” Şansi wrote on X.

Authorities said that two suspects have already been detained in connection with the case. An investigation is continuing under the coordination of the prosecutor’s office, while law enforcement officers are working to identify other possible participants in the attack.