By Mehmet Demirhan
SIRNAK, Türkiye (AA) - A group of 100 Assyrians from France on Tuesday visited a village in Türkiye's Sirnak province that was abandoned by their elders in the 1990s due to PKK terrorist attacks.
The ethnic group of Assyrians living in France arrived in the Aksu village in the Silopi district, which their elders abandoned in the 1990s due to PKK terrorist attacks, as their visit was made possible by Turkish security forces restoring peace in the region.
During their visit, the group visited cemeteries, sang hymns, and prayed in addition to performing a religious ceremony. Following their shared meal, they explored the village while reminiscing about the past.
Sabri Anar, the newly appointed bishop of the Mar Petyun Chaldean Church in Diyarbakir, told reporters that their visit to the village came after a 30-year gap.
"Today, we are happy to be here. We would like to thank our government and security forces for making this visit possible. We were able to conduct this visit with a team of 100 people from France because of them," he added.
George Yaramis, one of the group members, expressed his joy at returning to the area where his family had previously lived.
"We are the sons of this land. Our ancestors lived on this land for thousands of years. We hope to return frequently," said Ilhan Yavas, another member of the Assyrians group.
The headman of Aksu village, Pitrus Karatay, expressed his happiness at hosting the guests from France, hoping that this is just the beginning of more visits to come.
In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of at least 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.
*Writing by Esra Tekin in Istanbul