18 members of the European Parliament have sent a latter to Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu calling for an end to the state of siege ongoing in Amed's central Sur district for 87 days. MEPS called for urgent action to avoid another Cizre case in Sur.

The 18 parliamentarians had been on a visit to Amed city last week for an observation at scene and talks with officials regarding the situation in the district of Sur. Upon their return from Turkey, members of the European Parliament have written a letter to Davutoğlu, which says the followings;

"Urgent Call for a Peaceful Solution to the Humanitarian State of Affairs in Sur District of Diyarbakır

The historic Sur district of Diyarbakır remains under a curfew since 11 December, 2015.

The artillery shelling has greatly destroyed the infrastructure in Sur.

An unknown number of civilians estimated to be around 200 who include children aged below 10 and 15 and those with wounds are trapped in basements. Civilians cannot get out of their houses due to the ongoing shelling, while dead bodies remain lying on streets.

Turkish officials confirm there to be 131 civilians and 25 PKK members in Sur.

In consideration of the urgency of the situation, we call upon the Turkish officials to create conditions to enable the rescue of civilians, children in the first place, and ensure the attainment of a resolution to the crisis.

We insistently recommend a suspension of the curfew and realization of a 24-hour truce in order for a safe evacuation of the wounded from the area.

Please do not let another humanitarian disaster like in Cizre where 158 civilians trapped in basements lost their lives.

We furthermore call upon the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, and heads of the EU states to urgently treat the dramatic situation in Sur."

The letter is signed by the following members of the European Parliament;

Elena Valenciano, Subcommittee on Human Rights, Chair of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, Spain

Michael Gahler, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats), Germany

Richard Howitt, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, United Kingdom

Charles Tannock, Committee on Foreign Affairs, European Conservatives and Reformists Group, United Kingdom

Mark Demesmaeker, Committee on Foreign Affairs, European Conservatives and Reformists Group, Belgium

Yana Toom, Committee on Culture and Education, Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, Estonia

Takis Hadjigeorgiou, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Confederal Group of the European United Left - Nordic Green Left, Cyprus

Marie-Christine Vergiat, Subcommittee on Human Rights, Confederal Group of the European United Left - Nordic Green Left, France

Fabio Massimo Castaldo, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy Group, Italy

Rebecca Harms, Co-Chair Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, Germany

Bodil Valero, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, Sweden

Ernest Maragall, EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, Spain

Ska Keller, EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, Germany

Josep-Maria Terricabras, Vice-Chair of Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, Spain

Helga Trüpel, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, Germany

Tatjana Zdanoka, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, Latvia

Michel Reimon, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, Austria

Terry Reintke, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, Germany