'Mother’s heart cannot be silenced by arms and threats'

ANKARA

Turkey’s communications director on Sunday greeted Mother’s Day to all the mothers participating in an anti-PKK sit-in for over 600 days, saying they cannot be silenced.

Fahrettin Altun posted on Twitter a video message showing that provincial headquarters of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) in southeastern Diyarbakir province have functioned as a recruitment center of the terrorist PKK.

The protest in Diyarbakir began on Sept. 3, 2019 when three mothers said their children had been forcibly recruited by PKK terrorists. It has been growing ever since.

The video reiterated that 232 families, whose children were forcibly recruited, deceived or abducted by the PKK, have been part of the sit-in protests for 615 days. So far, it added, 25 of the children responded to their families' call and escaped from the terror group.

“We will finish the terror not only by fighting but also through our love. All together."

Altun underlined that a mother's heart is home to compassionate and bravery and "cannot be silenced by arms and threats."

I greet Mother’s Day to all our mothers, particularly to the ones in Diyarbakir and those whose children have been martyred [in the fight against terror], 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.

*Writing by Ahmet Gencturk