from our special correspondent in Gaziantep, Turkey – In the southeastern Turkish city of Gaziantep, a stronghold of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), some voters are ardent supporters of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Others, however, can be just as ferocious in their opposition. With the May 14 first round of the presidential election fast approaching, politics can be just as hot as the steaming chai in a Gaziantep tea shop.
The Gaziantep castle has survived centuries of invasions, but some of the Roman-era bastions of the formidable edifice in southeastern Turkey did not withstand the destructive force of the February 6 earthquakes. The main stone structure, however, is still there. Perched on a hill, the castle still watches over the old city.
