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In pictures: Turkey’s Newroz Day celebrations

An Afghan man rides on his donkey, holding balloons for sale during Newroz Day celebrations, a festival marking their spring and new year, in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Omar Sobhani/REUTERS)

Updated on: Mar 23, 2017 2:25 PM IST

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1/19

An Afghan man rides on his donkey, holding balloons for sale during Newroz Day celebrations, a festival marking their spring and new year, in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Omar Sobhani/REUTERS)

Updated on Mar 23, 2017 2:25 PM

An Afghan man rides on his donkey, holding balloons for sale during Newroz Day celebrations, a festival marking their spring and new year, in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Omar Sobhani/REUTERS)

2/19

A Kurdish woman dances in front of a fire as Turkish Kurds gather for Newroz celebrations for the new year in Diyarbakir, southeastern Turkey. Newroz (also known as Nawroz or Nowruz) is an ancient Persian festival, which is also celebrated by Kurdish people, marking the first day of spring. (Bulent Kilic/AFP)

Updated on Mar 23, 2017 2:25 PM

A Kurdish woman dances in front of a fire as Turkish Kurds gather for Newroz celebrations for the new year in Diyarbakir, southeastern Turkey. Newroz (also known as Nawroz or Nowruz) is an ancient Persian festival, which is also celebrated by Kurdish people, marking the first day of spring. (Bulent Kilic/AFP)

3/19

Young men build a human pyramid as Turkish Kurds gather for Newroz celebrations for the new year. Tens of thousands of people celebrated the New Year festival of Newroz in Turkey’s overwhelmingly Kurdish city of Diyarbakir on Tuesday, even as police killed a man who claimed to be carrying a bomb. (Bulent Kilic/AFP)

Updated on Mar 23, 2017 2:25 PM

Young men build a human pyramid as Turkish Kurds gather for Newroz celebrations for the new year. Tens of thousands of people celebrated the New Year festival of Newroz in Turkey’s overwhelmingly Kurdish city of Diyarbakir on Tuesday, even as police killed a man who claimed to be carrying a bomb. (Bulent Kilic/AFP)

4/19

Women dance as Turkish Kurds during Newroz celebrations at Diyarbakir, southeastern Turkey. The annual event, which received official permission, took place under heavy security ahead of an April 16 referendum as the authorities pursue their fight against outlawed Kurdish militants. (Bulent Kilic/AFP)

Updated on Mar 23, 2017 2:25 PM

Women dance as Turkish Kurds during Newroz celebrations at Diyarbakir, southeastern Turkey. The annual event, which received official permission, took place under heavy security ahead of an April 16 referendum as the authorities pursue their fight against outlawed Kurdish militants. (Bulent Kilic/AFP)

5/19

Turkish Kurds gather to celebrate Newroz at Diyarbakir. In a sign of the tensions, police opened fire on a man carrying a knife and a rucksack who did not obey a request to have his bag searched as he entered the designated area and shouted he was carrying a bomb. (Ilyas Akengin/AFP)

Updated on Mar 23, 2017 2:25 PM

Turkish Kurds gather to celebrate Newroz at Diyarbakir. In a sign of the tensions, police opened fire on a man carrying a knife and a rucksack who did not obey a request to have his bag searched as he entered the designated area and shouted he was carrying a bomb. (Ilyas Akengin/AFP)

6/19

A Kurdish boy waves flags with a picture of jailed Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan during the celebrations of Newroz. (Bulent Kilic/AFP)

Updated on Mar 23, 2017 2:25 PM

A Kurdish boy waves flags with a picture of jailed Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan during the celebrations of Newroz. (Bulent Kilic/AFP)

7/19

A girl looks on as Turkish Kurds gather to celebrate Newroz. Many of those attending brandished flags with the word “no” in Turkish and Kurdish, urging voters to reject a plan to expand President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s plans in a April 16 referendum. (Bulent Kilic/AFP)

Updated on Mar 23, 2017 2:25 PM

A girl looks on as Turkish Kurds gather to celebrate Newroz. Many of those attending brandished flags with the word “no” in Turkish and Kurdish, urging voters to reject a plan to expand President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s plans in a April 16 referendum. (Bulent Kilic/AFP)

8/19

Turkish Kurds gather in front of a bonfire for Newroz celebrations. The celebration of Newroz is an annual event in Diyarbakir and other cities in Turkey, a festival that has its roots in Persian culture. (Bulent Kilic/AFP)

Updated on Mar 23, 2017 2:25 PM

Turkish Kurds gather in front of a bonfire for Newroz celebrations. The celebration of Newroz is an annual event in Diyarbakir and other cities in Turkey, a festival that has its roots in Persian culture. (Bulent Kilic/AFP)

9/19

A Kurdish boy waves flags with a picture of jailed Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan. The event was organised by parties including the pro-Kurd Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), the third-largest party in the Turkish parliament. (Bulent Kilic/AFP)

Updated on Mar 23, 2017 2:25 PM

A Kurdish boy waves flags with a picture of jailed Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan. The event was organised by parties including the pro-Kurd Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), the third-largest party in the Turkish parliament. (Bulent Kilic/AFP)

10/19

A Kurdish man shouts slogans as Turkish Kurds gather for Newroz celebrations for the new year in Diyarbakir, southeastern Turkey. But 13 HDP lawmakers, including its co-leaders, are in jail on charges of supporting Kurdish militants, accusations the party says were fabricated to prevent them from campaigning for a “no” vote. (Bulent Kilic/AFP)

Updated on Mar 23, 2017 2:25 PM

A Kurdish man shouts slogans as Turkish Kurds gather for Newroz celebrations for the new year in Diyarbakir, southeastern Turkey. But 13 HDP lawmakers, including its co-leaders, are in jail on charges of supporting Kurdish militants, accusations the party says were fabricated to prevent them from campaigning for a “no” vote. (Bulent Kilic/AFP)

11/19

Turkish Kurds wave flags with the lettering 'No' in Turkish and Kurdish. We will continue with our struggle for peace, never giving up our quest for freedom through democratic politics, the jailed co-chairs Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag said in a statement issued by the HDP. (Ilyas Akengin/AFP)

Updated on Mar 23, 2017 2:25 PM

Turkish Kurds wave flags with the lettering 'No' in Turkish and Kurdish. We will continue with our struggle for peace, never giving up our quest for freedom through democratic politics, the jailed co-chairs Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag said in a statement issued by the HDP. (Ilyas Akengin/AFP)

12/19

Young men climb on a during the celebrations. It was at the Diyarbakir Newroz celebrations in 2015 that the jailed leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan, in a statement read by an MP, called for an end to its four-decade armed struggle against the Turkish state. (Bulent Kilic/AFP)

Updated on Mar 23, 2017 2:25 PM

Young men climb on a during the celebrations. It was at the Diyarbakir Newroz celebrations in 2015 that the jailed leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan, in a statement read by an MP, called for an end to its four-decade armed struggle against the Turkish state. (Bulent Kilic/AFP)

13/19

Turkish Kurds gather around a bonfire for Newroz celebrations for the new year in Diyarbakir, southeastern Turkey. (Bulent Kilic/AFP)

Updated on Mar 23, 2017 2:25 PM

Turkish Kurds gather around a bonfire for Newroz celebrations for the new year in Diyarbakir, southeastern Turkey. (Bulent Kilic/AFP)

14/19

A Kurdish man flashes the victory sign in front of a bonfire. But that summer a fragile peace process collapsed as the PKK ended a ceasefire amid mutual acrimony, reviving an insurgency that has left hundreds of members of the security forces dead. (Bulent Kilic/AFP)

Updated on Mar 23, 2017 2:25 PM

A Kurdish man flashes the victory sign in front of a bonfire. But that summer a fragile peace process collapsed as the PKK ended a ceasefire amid mutual acrimony, reviving an insurgency that has left hundreds of members of the security forces dead. (Bulent Kilic/AFP)

15/19

A woman walks past a bonfire during a gathering celebrating Newroz. This weekend, Turkey responded with fury after tens of thousands of people attended a pro-Kurdish protest in Germany, many brandishing Ocalan flags and pro-PKK insignia. But only a few portraits of Ocalan could be seen at the Diyarbakir rally. (Sertac Kayar/REUTERS)

Updated on Mar 23, 2017 2:25 PM

A woman walks past a bonfire during a gathering celebrating Newroz. This weekend, Turkey responded with fury after tens of thousands of people attended a pro-Kurdish protest in Germany, many brandishing Ocalan flags and pro-PKK insignia. But only a few portraits of Ocalan could be seen at the Diyarbakir rally. (Sertac Kayar/REUTERS)

16/19

Children in traditional Kurdish clothing, pose for the photographer during the Newroz celebration, in Diyarbakir, southeastern Turkey. Thousands celebrated the Newroz festival in Istanbul and in Diyarbakir, a mainly Kurdish city in a region where Kurdish militants regularly clash with government forces. In Turkey, the spring festival traditionally serves as an occasion to demand more rights for the Kurdish minority. (Lefteris Pitarakis/AP)

Updated on Mar 23, 2017 2:25 PM

Children in traditional Kurdish clothing, pose for the photographer during the Newroz celebration, in Diyarbakir, southeastern Turkey. Thousands celebrated the Newroz festival in Istanbul and in Diyarbakir, a mainly Kurdish city in a region where Kurdish militants regularly clash with government forces. In Turkey, the spring festival traditionally serves as an occasion to demand more rights for the Kurdish minority. (Lefteris Pitarakis/AP)

17/19

People gesture during a gathering celebrating Newroz, which marks the arrival of spring and the new year, in Istanbul, Turkey. (Osman Orsal/REUTERS)

Updated on Mar 23, 2017 2:25 PM

People gesture during a gathering celebrating Newroz, which marks the arrival of spring and the new year, in Istanbul, Turkey. (Osman Orsal/REUTERS)

18/19

People gather around a bonfire after Turkish authorities permitted the Newroz celebration. (Lefteris Pitarakis/AP)

Updated on Mar 23, 2017 2:25 PM

People gather around a bonfire after Turkish authorities permitted the Newroz celebration. (Lefteris Pitarakis/AP)

19/19

Iraqi Kurdish people carry fire torches up a mountain, as they celebrate Newroz Day, a festival marking their spring and new year, in the town of Akra, Iraq. (Ari Jalal/REUTERS)

Updated on Mar 23, 2017 2:25 PM

Iraqi Kurdish people carry fire torches up a mountain, as they celebrate Newroz Day, a festival marking their spring and new year, in the town of Akra, Iraq. (Ari Jalal/REUTERS)

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