INFOGRAPHICS - PKK terror group continues to kill infants, children

By Sema Kaplan

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (AA) - The killing of Guloglu siblings have been the latest atrocities committed by the PKK terror group that tormented thousands of civilians, including infants and senior citizens, in its terror campaign against Turkey for decades.

Eight-year-old Ayaz Guloglu and his 4-year-old sister Nupelda were killed on July 15 in a land mine explosion carried out by PKK terrorists in eastern Tunceli province; this incident an example of how the PKK indiscriminately targets civilians in Turkey through gunfire or bombings.

The PKK held its first terror attack in Hakkari and Siirt provinces of eastern Turkey on Aug. 15, 1984; however, after failing to achieve its goals in rural areas, it later began targeting the civilian population in urban areas.

In the 1980s and 1990s, the terror group stormed areas with the civilian population and killed civilians without mercy, including infants.

The most innocent victim of the terror group PKK has always been infants and children; in fact, the images of slain babies in swaddling clothes still haunt memories of Turkish citizens.

The terror attacks claimed scores of lives of infants. Some of those who survived the attacks lost limbs and had to live with great physical and mental challenges.

- Latest victims

On July 15, an improvised explosive device (IED) set by the PKK exploded in Ovacik district of Tunceli province and Ayaz Gulgolu and his sibling Nupelda, aged eight and four respectively, were killed.

- Roadside explosion kills 13-year-old

On May 5, a roadside bomb planted by the PKK terrorists in Silopi district of Sirnak province exploded when a minibus was passing by and killed Diyar Bilen, 13, and his cousin 23-year-old Servet.

Diyar was a student at 7th grade and admired by her teachers and friends for being a successful student. However, the explosion destroyed her bright future.

- Killing of mother and baby

Longing for his husband operating in Yuksekova district of Hakkari province, Nurcan Karakaya got on her to car with her 11-month-old baby, Bedirhan, and paid a visit to the sole breadwinner of the family, Sercan Karakaya, a soldier, on July 31, 2018.

On her way back home, a roadside bomb exploded and killed the mother and her infant, destroying this small and happy family.

- Killing of 16-year-old Eren Bulbul

On Aug. 11, 2017, in Macka district of Trabzon province in northern Turkey, 16-year-old Eren Bulbul was informing the security forces about how terrorists stole supplies from residential areas.

While Bulbul was assisting the security forces, the terrorists opened fire and killed him along with Ferhat Gedik, a senior-level gendarmerie member.

- Some of treacherous attacks by PKK terrorists

The terror group PKK has conducted scores of deadly attacks targeting infants and children since its first act of terror in Turkey, using indiscriminate attacks as a tool for mental persecution of civilians.

On March 7, 1987, the terror group’s firing squad killed a total of eight people, among them were six children.

On June 20, 1987, the terror group stormed a village in Omerli district of southeastern Mardin province and killed a total of 30 people, including 16 children.

On July 8, 1987, the PKK terrorists struck a village in Midyat district of Mardin province and killed nine civilians from the same family, including two women and seven children.

On Aug. 19, 1987, terrorists targeted Eruh district of Siirt province and killed 25 civilians including two infants. Notably, 14 of the massacred were below 18 years of age.

On Sept. 21, 1987, PKK terrorists stormed a village of southeastern Sirnak province and massacred 11 civilians -- including four children and five women, two of whom were pregnant.

On Oct. 10, 1987, the PKK terrorists carried out another civilian massacre and killed 13 people -- including seniors, women and infants. Nine others were severely wounded in the terror attack.

On May 9, 1988, the terrorists targeted a village in Nusaybin district of Mardin province and slaughtered 11 members of the same family -- including eight children and 2 women. In addition, two other children were severely wounded.

On June 22, 1992, terrorists attacked the rangers’ houses in Gercus district of Batman province and killed 10 people -- including eight children.

On Oct. 1, 1992, a total of 30 people, including two children, were killed by the terror group after a village in Bitlis province was attacked.

On Nov. 9, 1992, the PKK terrorists stormed civilian houses in Hani district of Diyarbakir province and gunned down four children, four women and four men.

On July 18, 1993, 24 civilians residing in Bahcesaray district of Van province were massacred by the terrorists, 14 of the victims were children.

On January 21, 1994, two separate villages in Savur district of Mardin province were attacked by the PKK terrorists. A total of 21 people were killed, including 11 children.

On July 24, 1995, a group composed of many PKK terrorists trespassed into Turkish territory from Iran. After failing to get in the Atabinen village of Van province, they attacked the village with rockets, leading to the death of 12 people -- seven of whom were children or women.

- Students targeted

The bloody attacks of the terror group are not limited to rural areas only as it also organized horrific explosion and attacks in urban areas as well.

On Jan. 3, 2008, the terror group detonated a bomb-laden vehicle in Diyarbakir province while a military service car was passing by. The deadly explosion killed seven people, including six students, and injured 73 bystanders.

There are other incidents in which the terror group directly targeted education facilities. For instance, on April 23, 2011, children and students gathered at a school garden to mark Turkey's Children Day, but the crowd was targeted by masked assailants with fireworks. Although nobody was killed, the children aged 7-14 had to suffer from mental trauma.

On May 27, 2011, a dormitory of a school was targeted with molotov cocktails that led to a fire in the building. Three students were injured in the incident.

- Terrorism in cities

In 2008, the terror group targeted civilians in Gungoren district of Istanbul by detonating two bombs planted in garbage containers, when streets were packed with people in the evening. The deadly explosions claimed lives of 17 civilians and wounded at least 154 others.

Aleyna Celik, 3, Taha Yildizli, 5, and 12-year-old Murat Agca were among the victims of the explosions.

- Teenage girl killed in molotov cocktail attack

On Nov. 8, 2009, the terrorists threw molotov cocktails at a civilian bus, leading to the burning of the vehicle. Serap Eser, 17-year-old high schooler, was severely wounded in the attack and succumbed to wounds a month later.

On Sept. 16, 2010, a mine planted by the terrorists exploded when a civilian minibus was passing through the area. The deadly explosion left nine people killed -- including 2-year-old Nurullah Umut Ciftci and 11-month-old Zeynep Kurt -- and four others wounded.

- Killing of baby in mother’s womb

On Sept. 26, 2011, Talat Doru wanted to swing by her family house as his parents were planning to visit Saudi Arabia to perform their pilgrimage.

However, he found himself and his family in the gunfire of the PKK terrorists. Doru's wife, one of the daughters, Sultan Doru, were killed in the attack with him and another daughter survived with critical injuries.

Mizgin, Doru’s wife, was pregnant when she was killed. The paramedics saved the baby after taking her out of mother's womb; however, the weak baby succumbed to death only a day later.

On Oct. 29, marked as Republic Day in Turkey, a mother realized that a terrorist is wearing a suicide-vest and intervened, saving dozens of people.

Looking forward to buying new clothes for her children before Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha, Hatice Belgin was walking towards a bazaar when she realized the presence of terrorists in Bingol province.

The heroic mother instantly jumped on the terrorist, who panicked and blew himself up. The mother and his son were killed and at least 21 people were wounded.

The mother's brave move may have failed to prevent the explosion, but her courage prevented the deaths of scores of others.

- Killing of children distributing meat to needy

In Oct. 2014, opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) called on people to take to the streets that triggered massive clashes with security forces. Two policemen along with 31 civilians lost their lives, while 221 civilians and 139 policemen were wounded.

Among the killed were Yasin Boru, a 16-year-old boy, and two of his friends who only wanted to deliver sacrificial meat to neighbors and poor families.

13-year-old Firat Simpil left his home on Aug. 30, 2015 to buy vegetable and fruit for his family in Silvan district of Diyarbakir; however, a roadside bomb exploded, killing the teeanger.

On Sept. 28, 2015, the terrorists attacked a police car with rockets. Elif Simsek, 9, was killed after her house was targeted by the PKK.

- 5-month-old baby

On Jan. 13, 2016, the terrorists targeted a security dwelling-house in Cinar district of southeastern Diyarbakir province with a bomb-laden car. Seven people were killed in the explosion, including a police officer and three children.

On March 13, 2016, the PKK terrorists carried out an attack in capital Ankara and killed a total of 36 people. The youngest victim of the terror attack was a baby, who was still three months away from her birth.

Four-year-old Hidayet Tek was killed on April 13, 2016 by an IED explosion planted by PKK terrorists.

Viyan Kanat, 5, was killed on July 10, 2016, in a PKK attack held in Cukurca district of Hakkari province.

On Aug. 11, 2016, the PKK targeted Sur district of Diyarbakir province with bombing killing, Ceylin Naz Aydin, an infant.

In order to keep children's memory alive, Diyarbakir's Han district municipality named playground and parks after the children who fell victim to the PKK terror attacks.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women and children.