REVISES HEADLINE; UPDATES WITH REMARKS OF PROTESTING PARENTS
By Omer Yasin Ergin
DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (AA) - One more family on Thursday was reunited with their son years after he was kidnapped by the terrorist group PKK in southeastern Turkey.
The wounded family's longing came to an end as Recep Yetkin, abducted and taken to the mountains by the terrorists six years ago, surrendered to Turkish security forces.
The Yetkin family had joined a sit-in protest against the PKK terror group in the southeastern city of Diyarbakir, outside the offices of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), which the government has asked a court to ban over suspected links to the terrorist PKK.
The protest began in September 2019 in Diyarbakir when Fevziye Cetinkaya, Remziye Akkoyun, and Aysegul Bicer said their children had been forcibly recruited by PKK terrorists, and has been growing by the day since then.
After getting the good news, the Yetkin family came to the local gendarmerie command at Diyarbakir and met their son.
So far 25 families have been reunited with their children since the start of the sit-in.
Yetkin’s surrender gave a glimmer of hope to other families in the same position, with Aysegul Bicer saying she hopes her abducted son would do the same and rejoin his family.
Bicer said the families are determined to maintain their protest and the recent surrenders encouraged them all.
Suleyman Aydin, a father protesting for his child, said Yetkin’s return boosted families’ determination and that he hoped his son would return soon.
“My son, don’t be afraid, surrender to our security units. Look, 25 sons and daughters surrendered, all reunited with their families. They confine you to death in caves. Surrender to our state,” he said.
In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.
In Turkey, offenders who are linked to terrorist groups and surrender are eligible for possible sentence reductions under a repentance law.
*Writing by Ali Murat Alhas