Türkİye

Mothers protest against YPG/PKK in Turkey enters Day 72

Dozens of families are determined to continue protest until their children, abducted by terror group, come back home

Ahmet Kaplan, Mehmet Siddik Kaya  | 13.11.2019 - Update : 13.11.2019
Mothers protest against YPG/PKK in Turkey enters Day 72

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey 

A sit-in held by dozens of families against the YPG/PKK terror group in southeastern Turkey has entered its 72nd day. 

Mothers in Diyarbakir province started the protest on Sept. 3 after a mother, Fevziye Cetinkaya said her 17-year-old son was forcibly recruited by the YPG/PKK through members of an opposition party.

Since then, the number of protesters is swelling outside the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) office. The party has long been accused by the government of supporting YPG/PKK terrorists.

They demand the return of their children, who, they claim, were deceived or kidnapped by the YPG/PKK terrorists.

Songul Altintas, one of the protesting mothers, said his son was kidnapped by the terror group five years ago.

"Whatever we have done, the terrorist organization has not given back our child to us. I want the terrorists to release my son," she said.

“PKK deceives Kurdish people. The terrorists abduct our children and girls and this will lead to the extinction of the Kurdish nation. The PKK's persecution of Kurds must stop,” she added.

Hatice Levent, another protesting mother, said she wakes up every morning with the hope of getting good news about her missing daughter.

"I have been here at the protest for 72 days but I can protest for 72 years. I will not leave until I get my daughter back," she said.

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

* Writing by Fahri Aksut

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