2 more families join anti-PKK sit-in in southeastern Türkiye

By Mehmet Siddik Kaya

DIYARBAKIR, Türkiye (AA) - A sit-in in Türkiye’s southeastern Diyarbakir province continues to grow as two more families joined the protest against the PKK terror group on Thursday.

Since Sept. 3, 2019, the protesting families have been camping outside the offices of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), a party the Turkish government says has links to the PKK.

Seyhmus Celebi, who is from Diyarbakir, said he joined the protest for his brother, Abdurrahman, who was kidnapped seven years ago when he was just 13.

Celebi told reporters that he wants to reunite with his brother, and urged him to surrender to the security forces.

“I want my brother back from the PKK and HDP. My brother is mentally unstable,” he said.

Emine Eren, a resident of southeastern Batman province, joined the sit-in for her older brother. She said: “I will not leave this place until I find my brother.”

“My father died longing for him,” she stressed, adding: “Two of my older sisters also died, and my mother is still waiting for his return with tears.”

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.

The protest has borne fruit as dozens of children forcibly abducted or recruited by the terror group fled the PKK and reunited with their families.

*Writing by Merve Berker