Turkey: 3 more families join anti-YPG/PKK protest

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey

Three more families have joined the ongoing protest against the YPG/PKK terror group in Diyarbakir, southeast Turkey.

Naile Aykut, the mother of 24-year-old Ismail, said her son was kidnapped by the terror group two years ago, while attending a preparatory course for university entrance exams.

“I want my son back. HDP [Peoples' Democratic Party] and YPG/PKK deceived my son. I will stay here until my son returns,” she said.

Another mother, Guli Turan, demanded the return of her 23-year-old daughter Alev.

Stressing that there was no difference between the HDP and YPG/PKK terror group, Turan said she would not leave the protest until her daughter comes back.

Semsettin Ozcan and Sahinaz Ozcan joined the protest for their son Atilla, 22, who they said was kidnapped twice by YPG/PKK terrorists.

They said Atilla had escaped and surrendered to Turkish security forces but was abducted again in 2016.

“The HDP took my son. We will continue protesting and will not leave until the HDP gives our son back to us,” the father said.

The protest was started last September by mothers of missing children -- who said their children were forcibly recruited or kidnapped by YPG/PKK terrorists -- outside the Diyarbakir office of the HDP.

The party has also been accused by the government of having links to the YPG/PKK terror group.

The number of families at the protest has steadily increased over past months, and all of them are demanding the return of their children, whom they claim were deceived or kidnapped by the terror group.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the YPG/PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. 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 Seda Sevencan