Türkİye

Return of PKK-abducted boy encourages sit-in families

Group of families in southeastern Turkey has been protesting against terrorist YPG/PKK's child recruitment for 312 days

Ahmet Kaplan  | 10.07.2020 - Update : 10.07.2020
Return of PKK-abducted boy encourages sit-in families

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey

Hopes of families have flourished for the return of their children abducted by the YPG/PKK terror group after one more protesting family reunited with their child in southeastern Turkey.

The grieved families continued their sit-in on the 312th day on Friday in the Diyarbakir province outside the office of Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), which the government accuses of having links to YPG/PKK.

The protest started on Sept. 3, in the city when Fevziye Cetinkaya, Remziye Akkoyun and Aysegul Bicer said their children had been forcibly recruited by PKK terrorists. The sit-in of families has been growing day by day with the participation of many others since then.

Protesters have vowed to stay there until every family reunites with their child.

On Thursday, Ramazan, son of Cemal Ertas who is physically disabled, surrendered to security forces escaping the terror group and has become a ray of hope other families.

Aynur Panay, one of the protesting mothers, said that she joined the protest for her son Emrah, and urged the HDP to send him back.

“It is no one other than the HDP that took away my son,” she said.

Referring to Thursday’s reunion, Panay expressed happiness for the family and said she also wants to take her son back.

“You do not belong there,” she called out to her son, urging him to surrender to security forces.

Sevket Bingol, who joined the demonstration for his son Tuncay, asked for support from all the families suffering from the same woe.

“We got so happy, our hope has boomed,” Bingol said, referring to Ramazan’s return.

“We will continue to wait with more happiness from now on. Because our children will turn back,” he said.

Offenders in Turkey linked to terrorist groups who surrender are eligible for possible sentence reductions under a repentance law.

In its more than 30-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. The YPG is the PKK's Syrian offshoot.

*Contributions and writing by Sena Guler

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