Turkey: Families urge PKK to return children in Sirnak

By Ekrem Payan

SIRNAK, Turkey (AA) - Families who have been affected by the PKK terror group protested here Thursday outside the office of a political party.

A group of women whose children were kidnapped by PKK terrorists and taken to the mountains, and those who lost family in terror attacks, marched to the building of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) in Sirnak province.

They blame the HDP for playing a role in the abduction of their children by the PKK. The Turkish government also accuses the party of having links to the terror group.

The women carried signs that read: “No passage for terror” and chanted against the terror group and the HDP.

Sakine Kartal joined the demonstration because her son, Veysi, was kidnapped and taken to the mountains seven years ago at age 17.

Kartal said she went to the HDP building to demand that her son is returned.

“No one is abandoned, especially our kids, they are never abandoned,” Kartal said, citing that the children were deceived.

“They make their kids study abroad but sacrifice our kids for themselves. We never accept this,” she claimed and said demonstrators will continue every week until their children are returned.

Zehra Gungor said 13 members of her family were killed by PKK terrorists 31 years ago and she joined the protest to help other mothers whose children were abducted.

“HDP will pay for this,” she vowed.

A sit-in in Diyarbakir province has continued since Sept. 3, 2019, outside the provincial office of the HDP.

Mothers there have protested for the same reason -- their children were forcibly recruited by the PKK terror group.

Demonstrators said 19 family members have surrendered to security forces as protests have grown steadily.

In its more than 30-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 some 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.

*Writing by Sena Guler in Ankara