Another family joins anti-PKK protest in SE Turkey

By Ahmet Kaplan

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (AA) – Another family joined the months-long sit-in protest against the PKK terror group in southeastern Turkey on Friday.

The protest in Diyarbakir province outside the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) office -- which the government accuses of having links to the PKK -- began on Sept. 3, 2019, when three mothers said PKK terrorists had forcibly recruited their children. It has been growing for over 529 days.

Guli Eregli, a mother from eastern province Van, joined the protest along with her husband Ibrahim Eregli, as their son Nevzat was abducted by PKK seven years ago when he was only 19 years old.

"We'll wait here until my son comes back. The HDP kidnapped our son. I want my son back from them," she said, urging her son to surrender and return home.

Father Eregli also said they will continue to stay at the sit-in until his son returns.

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 40,000 people including women, children and infants.

*Writing by Burak Dag in Ankara