Another member of the PKK terrorist organization surrendered to Turkish security forces as a result of persuasion efforts and the family of the terrorist is in the ongoing protests in the southeastern Turkish province of Diyarbakır, the Interior Ministry announced on Monday.
The terrorist joined the group in 2013 and had operated in Syria and Iraq, the ministry said in a statement.
With the latest surrender, the number of terrorists who have laid down their arms through persuasion efforts in 2022 now stands at 109 and with this, the number of families who reunited with their children in Diyarbakır will be 39, it added. The families also are known as the “Diyarbakır Mothers” because of the high number of mothers protesting.
In Türkiye, offenders linked to terrorist groups who surrender are eligible for possible sentence reductions under a repentance law.
A significant number of suspected terrorists have begun to abandon the PKK and surrender, but many terrorists lack the courage to leave the terrorist group out of fear of severe punishment if caught.
The PKK's leadership is struggling to recruit both militants and higher ranks, according to reports. Additionally, many terrorists are reluctant to enter Türkiye from Iraq to carry out attacks due to the high number of casualties.
In recent years, Türkiye has stepped up domestic operations and efforts across its borders against the terrorist group and has convinced a substantial number of members to abandon the PKK.
Protests by a group of families in front of the pro-PKK Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) headquarters in Diyarbakır demanding the return of their sons and daughters, who were recruited or kidnapped to fight for the terrorist group, have also helped increase the number of people surrendering.
Calls made by the families to their children urging them to return home and surrender, as well as the persuasion efforts by security forces, have been influential.
