2 dead, over 4,000 injured in Turkey's protests

ISTANBUL - Two people have been killed and over 4,100 wounded in the week-long anti-government protests across Turkey, the Turkish Medical Association said Wednesday.

Abdullah Comert, a 22-year-old branch member of the Republican People's Party, was killed in clashes in Antakya on Monday; and Mehmet Ayvalitas, 20, was hit and killed after a car driver ignored warnings to stop for protesters in Istanbul late Sunday.

According to the association, 4,177 protesters from 12 provinces were injured -- among them 43 in serious condition.

The week-long protest started as a peaceful demonstration against the demolition plans of Taksim Square's Gezi Park in Istanbul and later turned into clashes between the police and thousands of protesters across the country.

The protests have spread to 67 provinces, including the capital Ankara and the coastal cities of Antalya and Izmir.

The Gezi Park incidents have aroused public anger, with some demonstrators arguing that the "authoritarian attitude" of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is the cause of the wave of protests.

However, the government of Erdogan is believed by many analysts to be able to weather the protests given its fair performance in recent years to maintain stability and economic development.

On Tuesday, the government started to soften its tone after Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc apologized to the protesters for the excessive force used by the police.