Sit-in families in Turkey long to reunite with PKK-abducted children

Families in Turkey whose children had been abducted or forcibly recruited by the PKK terrorist organization continued their sit-in protest on its 644th day.

The families have been protesting since Sept. 3, 2019, encouraging their children to give up their weapons and surrender to Turkish authorities.

Protests outside the office of the opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) in the southeastern Diyarbakır province started with three mothers who said their children had been forcibly recruited by the terrorists. The Turkish government says the HDP has links to the PKK terrorist organization.

Ayşegül Biçer is one of the mothers protesting for the return of her son Mustafa, who was abducted by the terror group nearly three years ago.

"They should know well that we will not leave the protest site until we save our children back from the PKK terrorist organization. We are one heart, one voice. Nobody can stop us," Biçer said, and urged his son to return.

"HDP stole our children from us and handed them over to the PKK terror group. The parents waiting here are determined to get their children back," she added.

Ömer Tokay, a protesting father, also said he would continue to protest until his son comes back.

Tokay called on his child, who was abducted by the terror group 10 years ago when he was 14, to escape from the terror group and surrender to the security forces.

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

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