Turkey today ousted another elected provincial mayor belonging to a pro-Kurdish party over charges of terrorism-related offences, the Interior Ministry said, and temporarily appointed a state official in her place amid an intensifying crackdown on the opposition.

In a statement, the ministry said the local governor replaced Sofia Alagas, a member of the pro-Kurdish DEM party and mayor of Sirte, a province in southeastern Turkey, because of her earlier conviction for “membership in the armed terrorist organization PKK/KCK” (PKK/Kurdistan Workers’ Party/Union of Kurdistan Communities), adding that these are “temporary measures”.

Dozens of mayors of the pro-Kurdish DEM party and its predecessors have been removed from office in the past on similar charges, and many of the party’s mayors and local administrators have been arrested.

The DEM, which has 57 seats in the 600-seat parliament, said the Sirte municipality was “hijacked” by the party with the appointment of the state official.

The party said that a total of eight municipalities won by the DEM in local elections last year -mostly in most of the Kurdish southeastern part of the country- have been seized by government officials who were placed in those positions as administrators.

The government argues that the measures are necessary for national security as the law does not allow any person linked to terrorism to hold a state administrative position.

Today’s move comes amid a judicial crackdown by the government against the opposition, which has escalated with investigations and arrests against individuals from the main opposition party, raising concerns about the silencing of dissent in Turkey.

It also comes as there is an evolving political effort to end the 40-year conflict between the outlawed PKK and the state that has raised hopes for peace.

The PKK is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US and the EU.