Turkey: Another family joins anti-PKK sit-in protest

By Omer Yasin Ergin

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (AA) - One more family joined an ongoing sit-in protest against the YPG/PKK terrorist organization in southeastern Turkey on Friday, as families for over 540 days have been calling for the return of their children they claim were forcibly recruited by the terror group.

The protest outside the office of Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) -- which the government accuses of having links to the YPG/PKK -- began on Sept. 3, 2019, when three mothers said YPG/PKK terrorists had forcibly recruited their children.

Nazmi Turan, a father from the southeastern Hakkari province, joined the sit-in to reunite with his daughter Kadriye.

Turan said his daughter was kidnapped by the PKK terror group in the Cukurca district of Hakkari eight years ago when she was 15 years old.

He said Kadriye left home to attend a wedding ceremony and they could not hear from her again, adding that the family made many attempts to reunite with her but did not get any result.

"I want my daughter from HDP. They should bring our children back as soon as possible. My daughter was a student and used to say 'I'm going to be a policewoman'," Turan added.

Turan’s other daughter, Semiran, who also joined the sit-in protest for her elder sister, said his parents had met with HDP officials who denied that they had kidnapped Kadriye.

"Nobody can go to the mountains on their own. I want my sister from HDP. ... I'll wait here for my sister, and won't give up until she comes back," she added.

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. The YPG is the PKK’s Syrian branch.