Southeast Turkey: Anti-terror sit-in enters day 300

By Hasan Namli

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (AA) – A sit-in protest by families in southeastern Turkey entered its 300th day on Sunday demanding a political party -- accused by the government of having terror-links -- free their children from the YPG/PKK terrorist organization.

The protesters, camped outside the offices of the opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) in Diyarbakir, are demanding that their children kidnapped by the YPG/PKK terrorists be returned.

Dozens of mothers started the protest on Sept. 3, 2019, outside the offices of the HDP, a party accused by the government of having links to the YPG/PKK terror group.

Omer Tokay, a father whose child was abducted by the terror group at the age of 14, called on his son to surrender to security forces.

Another protester Aydin Dagtekin said he joined the protest for his son who was abducted six years ago, and that he will not leave until he gets his son back.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, 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 in Ankara