Istanbul mayor arrested days before likely presidential nomination

Ekrem mamolu of CHP opposition party detained alongside 100 others accused of corruption and links to terror groups

Turkish police have arrested the mayor of Istanbul, detaining the primary challenger to the president, Recep Tayyip Erdoan, in dawn raids that also ensnared 100 politicians, businesspeople and municipal officials accused of corruption and links to terror groups.

Ekrem mamolu, the mayor, released a video statement as police gathered outside his residence in Istanbul, speaking to the camera as he put on a shirt and tie before his arrest. In a caption accompanying the video posted to social media, he wrote: This is a blow to the will of the people."