On Eid, Turkiye parents look to reunite their children kidnapped by PKK terror group

Turkish women continued their sit-in protest against the PKK terrorist organisation in the country’s south-east, hoping to reunite with their children on Eid Al-Adha, one of the two major festivals celebrated by Muslims worldwide, Anadolu Agency reports.

They say their children were kidnapped or forcibly recruited by the PKK terrorist organisation.

The protest outside the HDP headquarters in Diyarbakir province has entered its day 1,394, with more people joining in daily.

Bedriye Uslu told Anadolu that she is protesting in front of the HDP building for the return of her son, Mahmut, who was kidnapped “26 Eid ago”.

“My son is 30 years old now; if he were here, he would have a home, get married and have children. I hope our efforts will not be in vain, and one day our children will come. We will reunite with our children and spend the holidays with them,” she said in an optimistic tone, hoping to see Mahmut soon.

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Another protester, Guzide Demir, said his son, Aziz, was kidnapped “18 Eid ago”.

“We have no peace left at home … We want our children from the HDP. It’s been 18 Eid, I’m separated from my child … My son was an orphan, and I was both a mother and a father to him. I won’t leave here without my child,” she insisted.

Nihat Aydin, a father, said his son was kidnapped when he was 13 years old.

“They took these children to the mountain and left them to die in caves. As with every holiday, we will wait for the path of our children on this Eid.”

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Turkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkiye, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is the terror group’s Syrian branch.

Eid Al-Adha, or the “Feast of Sacrifice,” will be celebrated by Muslims in Turkiye and around the globe on Wednesday, as well as on Thursday in some countries.

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