Families protesting in front of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) headquarters in southeastern Diyarbakır province, are still calling for the return of their children abducted by the PKK terrorist group.
The mother of Mahmut Uslu, Bedriye Uslu, told Sabah daily, "My son was in his final year of high school, he had sat the university entrance exam." She said that he once called six years ago and said that he wanted to return. "They (PKK) imprisoned him in Syria while he was attempting to flee. Since that day we have not heard from him," she added.
Another mother, Rahime Taşçı, said that her son Faruk was her only child and disappeared nine years ago. She called on him to return and surrender to the Turkish government.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan planned to pay a visit to Diyarbakır on Saturday, yet the program was canceled following the coal mine blast in the northern Bartın province that killed at least 41 people and led the country into mourning.
The protest started when Hacire Akar turned up at the doorstep of the HDP’s Diyarbakır office one night, demanding to be reunited with her son. Akar’s son Mehmet returned home on Aug. 24, 2019, giving hope to other families. A week later, on Sept. 3, 2019, families inspired by Akar staged a collective sit-in protest.
Demonstrations have since spread to other provinces, including Van, Muş, Şırnak and Hakkari.
Mother Fadime Aksu, who has cancer, left her treatment and started a sit-in in front of the HDP building. Describing the difficulties of raising her child, Aksu said that she raised him alone without a father. Her son Eren is hearing impaired she said.
Families have not given up their posts despite difficult conditions, at times being threatened or ridiculed by HDP officials and those with links to the PKK terrorist group. The protests continued despite the coronavirus pandemic, with the families taking the necessary precautions.
A significant number of suspected terrorists have begun to flee the PKK and surrender, but many terrorists lack the courage to leave the group out of fear of severe punishment if caught.
Meanwhile, security forces eliminated six terrorists of the PKK’s Syrian wing, the YPG, in northern Syria on Sunday.
The defense ministry announced that the terrorists were planning a terror attack on the Operation Euphrates Shield, Peace Spring and Olive Branch areas.
Since 2016, Ankara has launched a trio of successful counterterrorism operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018) and Peace Spring (2019).