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Istanbul mayor, Erdogan rival, arrested

Istanbul mayor, Erdogan rival, arrested

Turkish police on Wednesday arrested Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, a key rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, state media reported, as part of an investigation into suspected links to corruption and terrorism.

The state-run Anadolu Agency reported that prosecutors also issued warrants for 100 other people. Authorities closed several roads around Istanbul and banned demonstrations in the city for four days in an apparent attempt to prevent protests following the arrests.

Imamoğlu posted a video on Wednesday morning apparently reacting to the move, with the caption "A blow to the will of the nation."

Imamoğlu, 53, "was arrested and is now at police headquarters," a press aide told Agence France-Presse. The aide was not authorized to speak to the media, so he asked not to be named.

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