Turkey bids farewell to citizens massacred by PKK

Funeral services are being held across Turkey on Monday for citizens martyred by PKK terror group in northern Iraq, with attendees chanting slogans against terrorists.

Gendarmerie Private Suleyman Sungur, 27, was laid to rest in his hometown in the southeastern Siirt province.

His mother Sirin and father Salih were present in the ceremony, which was attended by the provincial gendarmerie commander, Gen. Arif Cetin, as well as many other officials and citizens.

Following the funeral prayer, citizens chanted slogans against the PKK terror group, calling for an end to it.

On Sunday, Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said the bodies of 13 Turkish citizens were found during Operation Claw-Eagle 2 in the Gara region of northern Iraq.

Turkey launched the operation on Feb. 10 to prevent the PKK/KCK and other terror groups from reestablishing positions used to carry out cross-border terror attacks.

Operations Claw-Tiger and Claw-Eagle were initiated last June in northern Iraq to ensure the safety of people and Turkey’s borders.

- ‘We won’t make PKK happy’

In the southeastern Adiyaman province, a funeral ceremony was held for Aydin Kose, another victim of the PKK.

The ceremony held in the Kahta district was attended by Agriculture and Forestry Minister Bekir Pakdemirli, along with local officials and many citizens.

“Our country’s determination will continue,” Pakdemirli told the crowd, adding that counter-terrorism efforts will go on until the last terrorist is neutralized both at home and in neighboring countries.

The martyr’s cousin stood against terrorism and said: “You cannot divide this country. We are not crying […] We will not make the PKK terror group happy.”

Another funeral ceremony was also held in the southeastern Mardin province for police officer Vedat Kaya. He was buried in the Artuklu district.

Kaya’s father Sehmus and mother Emine attended the ceremony, along with his relatives and officials, including Deputy Interior Minister Muhterem Ince and Security Director General Mehmet Aktas.

The crowd chanted slogans against the PKK terrorists and glorified the martyrs.

Kaya was kidnapped by the terror group in July 2016 when he was en route to southeastern Diyarbakir’s Lice district together with his family.

Vedat Kaya's father prayed for the country and pledged to protect the Turkish flag.

- Martyrs kidnapped in 2015

In the Black Sea province of Samsun, Muhammet Salih Kanca, 38, was given a burial service in the Ilkadim district.

The service was attended by his relatives, Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan, political figures, local officials, and citizens.

In Kahramanmaras, another southeastern province, Air Defense Specialized Sergeant Huseyin Sari was laid to rest in a ceremony attended by his parents Hasan and Bedia Sari, as well as siblings Ramazan and Hatice Nur Sari.

Among the attendees also were Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Donmez, local and military officials, and political figures.

The martyr’s brother Ramazan, who is serving as soldier in the eastern Malatya province, attended the ceremony wearing his military camouflage.

Sari was kidnapped by PKK terrorists in August 2015 from a passenger bus on Diyarbakir-Bingol highway.

Gendarmerie Private Sedat Sorgun, 35, was buried in his hometown in the eastern Erzurum province. Citizens condemned the PKK terrorists during the funeral service.

Among the attendees of the ceremony were deputy ministers, military and local officials, political figures, and many citizens.

Sorgun was kidnapped by the terrorists in August 2015 when he was serving in the eastern Van province’s gendarmerie command. He was stopped on Diyarbakir-Bingol highway and abducted by PKK terrorists.

- Father of 3 among victims

Police officer Sedat Yalabak was one of the victims. A funeral ceremony was held for Yalabak in the southern Mersin province’s Bozyazi district.

Yabalak’s mother Unzile, father Kadir, wife Burcu, daughter Zeynep Sena, and his brothers were present at the ceremony, which was also attended by Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, Deputy Foreign Minister and Director for EU Affairs Faruk Kaymakci, as well as other local and military officials, and citizens.

His seven-year-old daughter wore a police uniform in the ceremony and made a police salute to her father.

Yabalak, a father of three, was kidnapped by the PKK terrorists in 2015 when he was en route to the southeastern Sanliurfa province with his family. He was stopped by terrorists in Lice, Diyarbakir.

Umit Gicir, 35-year-old specialized gendarmerie sergeant, was also among the victims. A funeral ceremony was held in his hometown Balikesir in the country’s northwest.

Along with his family and relatives, the ceremony was attended by deputy ministers, local and military officials, political figures, and citizens.

The massacre by the terrorists caused public outcry in Turkey, with political figures and local authorities vowing to fight against terrorism until the last one of them is neutralized.

The PKK execution also drew worldwide reactions.

*Writing by Sena Guler