Story By: Feza Uzay, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency:  Newsflash

A seven-year-old boy who was riding his bicycle on the street has been killed after he was hit by an armoured SWAT vehicle that was on patrol.

According to news site Duvar, Mihrac Miroglu was hit and killed by the armoured police vehicle while he was riding his bicycle on the street in the district of Idil in the Turkish province of Sirnak on 3rd September.

Mihrac’s family said they did not know how the incident happened. However, neighbours said that armoured vehicles that were patrolling the neighbourhood streets were travelling fast.

Mihrac’s father, Salih Miroglu, said he was not at home at the time of the incident and that he ran home when he heard that his son had been hit.

Salih has demanded that those responsible for his son’s death face trial. He said: “Mihrac was a very good boy. He loved to read books. He said that he wanted to be a teacher when he grew up.”

He added: “Why did my son die? Why have so many children died this way? No more children should die. No matter what we say, they don’t hear our voices. We can’t make our voices heard.”

Mihac was buried in the district cemetery following an autopsy on 4th September.

Neighbourhood resident Zeynep Sen said: “Children play on the streets, but we are concerned, as armoured vehicles are patrolling the streets. Even we are afraid of the armoured vehicles, let alone the children.”

According to a 2019 report by the Human Rights Association (IHD) on armoured vehicle crashes in eastern and south-eastern Anatolia, 36 people including 16 children lost their lives and 85 people were injured in a period of 10 years.

News site Duvar reported that an investigation was initiated by the Idil Public Prosecutor’s Office under “fatal traffic accident”.

The police officer behind the wheel, whose name was not divulged, was not detained at the time. He gave a statement to the police three days after the incident, on 6th September, and he was released afterwards.

In his statement, he reportedly told the police that he was not driving fast at the time. He also reportedly said: “I did not do it on purpose, I did not want it to end like this.”

A statement from the victim’s family is expected in the coming days.