Another family joins protest against PKK terror group in southeastern Türkiye

DIYARBAKIR, Türkiye

A sit-in in Türkiye’s southeastern Diyarbakir province continues to grow as another family joined the protest against the PKK terror group on Monday.

Since Sept. 3, 2019, families have been camping outside the offices of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), a party the Turkish government says has links to the PKK.

Demonstrations have also spread to other provinces, including Van, Mus, Sirnak, and Hakkari.

Bayram Ucucu, who is from the eastern province of Erzurum, said that he joined the sit-in for his niece, Mensure Ucucu, who was deceived and taken to the mountains when she was just 14 years old.

Calling on his niece to surrender to the security forces, Ucucu said: “I hope she hears out my voice and comes back.”

“We are waiting for not only Mensure but also for all the other kidnapped children to reunite with their families,” he said.

“I will wait for her here until she returns,” he emphasized.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.

The protest has borne fruit as dozens of children forcibly abducted or recruited by the terror group fled the PKK and reunited with their families.


* Writing by Merve Berker