off-the-wire

Erdogan challenger Kilicdaroglu wears steel vest two days ahead of election

Kitco Media
By Reuters
Published:
Updated:
Reuters
ANKARA, May 12 (Reuters) - Kemal Kilicdaroglu, main challenger of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, wore a steel vest for an election rally on Friday, two days before Sunday's presidential elections, on "intelligence that he could be attacked", a source from his party said.


Footage also showed Kilicdaroglu's security detail carried assault rifles and were on the stage with him as he delivered his speech, a first during his election campaign. A source from Kilicdaroglu's Republican People's Party (CHP) said the 74-year-old main opposition leader wore the steel vest and security was ramped up upon receiving intelligence that he could be at risk of an attack. The source did not elaborate.


Kilicdaroglu, who has a narrow lead over Erdogan in polls, was delivering his speech in the Black Sea city of Samsun.


In an interview with Reuters on Friday, he said he was confident of victory. (Reporting by Huseyin Hayatsever Writing by Ece Toksabay Editing by Alexandra Hudson)

ece.toksabay.reuters.com@reuters.net))
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