One more sit-in family to embrace abducted child in Turkey

A family protesting the YPG/PKK terrorist group for abducting their child in southeastern Turkey received news Thursday that they would soon be reunited.

Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu announced that one of five terrorists who surrendered to Turkish authorities Wednesday was the child of a family taking part in a months-long sit-in outside the office of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), which the government accuses of having links to the YPG/PKK terror group.

The protest began on Sept. 3, 2019, in Diyarbakir province when three mothers said their children had been forcibly recruited by YPG/PKK terrorists.

Saadet Odumlu, a mother attending the protest for her son, Yusuf, who was abducted in 2014, said she missed her child deeply.

Odumlu said the demonstrating families would continue their protest and were truly happy that another of their abducted children had come back and would soon be united with their family.

Salih Gokce, a father protesting for his son Mehmet who was forcibly abducted in 2017, said the families welcomed the news.

Gokce said he hoped other sons and daughters would also lay down their weapons and surrender, noting that they were determined to continue the protest until all of their kids were 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.

In Turkey, offenders who are linked to terrorist groups and surrender are eligible for possible sentence reductions under a repentance law.

*Writing by Ali Murat Alhas