Sit-in against PKK terror group continues in SE Turkey

By Mehmet Siddik Kaya

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (AA) – Families in Turkey whose children have been abducted or forcibly recruited by the PKK terrorist organization continued their sit-in on Wednesday in the southeastern Diyarbakir province.

The families have been protesting since Sept. 3, 2019, encouraging their children to give up their weapons and surrender to authorities.

Protests outside the office of the opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) started with three mothers who said their children had been forcibly recruited by the terrorists.

The Turkish government says the HDP has links to the PKK terror group.

Fatma Akkus, one of the mothers, whose daughter Songul was abducted six years ago, said: “HDP members deceived my daughter and handed her over to the PKK.”

“HDP is ignoring us,” Akkus said, adding that they will keep protesting until they are reunited with their children.

A protesting father, Celil Begdas, whose son Yusuf was abducted by the PKK terror group, called on his son to “run away and surrender to the security forces.”

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

* Writing by Gozde Bayar