By Mehmet Siddik Kaya
DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (AA) – A group of grieved families continued a sit-in protest on Monday against the YPG/PKK terror group for the 322nd day outside the office of a political party in southeastern Turkey.
The protest started on Sept. 3 last year 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 outside the office of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) — which the government accuses of having links to YPG/PKK — has been growing day by day with the participation of many others since then.
Protesters have vowed to remain at the sit-in until every family reunites with their child.
With photographs of their abducted children in hand, one of the mothers, Songul Altintas, voiced her determination to stay until she got her son, Muslum, back.
She urged the HDP and PKK to release the children, including her son, who was kidnapped six years ago.
Necibe Ciftci, another protesting mother, said her son Rosat was kidnapped six years ago and that her other son was killed three years ago by PKK terrorists, when he was searching for his brother.
"We'll continue this protest until death," said Ciftci.
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.
*Writing by Sena Guler
