Dozens of families continued their sit-in protest against the PKK terrorist group in Türkiye’s southeastern Diyarbakır province hoping to reunite with their children on Eid al-Adha, one of the two major festivals celebrated by Muslims worldwide.
The protest outside the headquarters of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), a part condemned for its alleged ties to PKK, in Diyarbakir has entered its day 1,394.
More people join the rally daily, demanding the release of their children whom they say were kidnapped or forcibly recruited by the PKK.
Bedriye Uslu told Anadolu Agency (AA) that she is protesting in front of the HDP building for the return of his son Mahmut, who was kidnapped "26 Eids 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 Mahmud soon.
Another protester, Güzide Demir, said his son, Aziz, was kidnapped "18 Eids ago."
"We have no peace left at home ... We want our children from the HDP. It's been 18 Eids since I 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 Aydın, 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 over 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 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 Türkiye and around the globe on Wednesday, as well as on Thursday in some countries.
