Turkey: Family reunites with their 'PKK-kidnapped' boy

By Nurten Aslan

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (AA) - With efforts of Turkish security forces, another family reunited with their son, who they claim was kidnapped by PKK terrorists, after five years of longing.

According to security forces, Huseyin Esrefoglu surrendered Tuesday to Turkish authorities.

The parents -- Nizamettin Esrefoglu and Aslihan Esrefoglu -- from eastern Erzurum province had attended a sit-in protest against the PKK terror group in southeastern Diyarbakir province.

After receiving the good news, the parents came to the provincial counter-terror police department for reuniting with their son after five years.

The protest started on Sept. 3 outside the offices of the Peoples' Democratic Party -- a party accused by the government of having links to the terrorist YPG/PKK -- in Diyarbakir when Fevziye Cetinkaya, Remziye Akkoyun and Aysegul Bicer said their children had been forcibly recruited by PKK terrorists.

Since then, the number of families in front of the building is growing as they demand the return of their children, who, they claim, were deceived or kidnapped by terrorists.

With this recent development, the number of families reuniting with their kidnapped children has reached six at the 162nd day of protests.

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

* Writing by Gozde Bayar from Ankara.