Nine people were hurt and two arrests were made during an altercation at the Turkish ambassador's residence in the US capital during a visit by president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, police have said.

Doug Buchanan, a DC Fire and EMS spokesman, said two of those hurt were seriously injured and were taken to hospitals by ambulance. He said by phone that emergency personnel were called to the residence about 4:30pm Tuesday.

According to witnesses, the brawl erupted when the Turkish president's security detail attacked protesters carrying the flag of the Kurdish PYD party outside the residence.

A local NBC television affiliate reported Erdoğan was inside the building at the time.

This was breaking news from The Guardian and other sources including CNN.

John Sciutto from CNN confirmed the report. Here is his exchange on Twitter with Mahir Zeyhalov, a well respected reporter, formerly of the LA Times and now The Global Post who follows Turkey.

Erdoğan's bodyguards' in violent clash with protesters in Washington, 9 injured, 16/5/2017

BREAKING: Turkish Erdogan's security personnel (in black suits) brutally beat & attacked kurdish, Armenian protesters in front of cops in Washington DC.16/5/...

The U.S. State Department or Secretary Tillerson issued no statements

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May 17, 2017

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