Omar Souleyman: singer held by Turkey over alleged militant links is freed
Celebrated Syrian singer Omar Souleyman, who has performed at festivals around the world, has been released after being detained over alleged links to Kurdish militants.
Souleyman was freed at 10.30pm (19.30 GMT) after a confusing day during which he was released in the morning before being taken back to a detention centre.
Souleyman was detained on Wednesday in Şanlıurfa, in south-east Turkey, where he has been running a bakery after escaping Syria’s civil war, which began in 2011.
Police questioned the singer over reported claims he had ties to the People’s Protection Units (YPG), which Turkey says is the Syrian offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers’ party (PKK).
The PKK, blacklisted as a terrorist group by Ankara and its western allies, has been waging an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984.
The YPG spearheaded the fight against the Islamic State extremist group under the Syrian Democratic Forces banner with the support of the
US-led international coalition.
Souleyman was accused of “terrorist propaganda” but it was not immediately clear whether any formal charges were brought against him despite his release.
He returned to his home in Karaköprü district, where his family and fans were waiting.
“I love Turkey. The Europeans offered me asylum, but I love this country and I want to stay here,” he said after arriving home.
His lawyer and manager told AFP earlier on Friday that local officials in Şanlıurfa province ordered Souleyman’s release but needed the approval of the interior ministry, which never came. He was then taken back to a detention centre before he was finally released on Friday night.
Souleyman has won international recognition for his melodic mix of dance and folk music, collaborating with artists such as Björk and Blur’s frontman Damon Albarn.
An official video for his 2013 song Warni Warni has received nearly 95m views on YouTube.
The singer is a native of north-eastern Syria who sings in Arabic and Kurdish, and has become a cult favourite of fans of international beats.