Another family joined parents protesting their children's abduction by the PKK terrorists, which started outside the pro-PKK Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) headquarters in Turkey's southeastern Diyarbakır province.
Mustafa Çelik, who joined the protest in Muş on Wednesday, said his brother was taken away by the terrorist group more than two decades ago. "I have not heard from my brother for 22 years," he said.
Ayten Koçhan, another protester, said: "The number of families who have joined the sit-in has increased to 24. We want our children back."
A man, identified only by the initials O.S., who escaped from the PKK terrorist group, is supporting the protesting mothers.
The 23-year-old was deceived by the terrorist group in Istanbul and taken to the mountains in 2014. He escaped and surrendered to the Turkish security forces in 2018.
Recalling the torture he went through while he was part of the terrorist group, he said: "They say a lot of things like 'the state is torturing.' There is no such thing. I've been with my family for three years (after surrendering)."
"I'm calling on the young people on the mountains: Return to your mother. Your parents are devastated. Don't upset your parents."
Families in Diyarbakır province have been protesting since Sept. 3, 2019, encouraging their children who were abducted or forcibly recruited by the terrorist group to give up their weapons and surrender to Turkish authorities.
Protests in Diyarbakır outside HDP headquarters started with three mothers who claimed the terrorists had forcibly recruited their children.
Demonstrations have since spread to other provinces, including Van, Muş, Şırnak and Hakkari.
The HDP, long facing public scrutiny and judicial probes over its ties to the PKK, is under pressure from the growing civilian movement. Various groups from around Turkey have supported the Kurdish mothers in their cause, with many paying visits to show their solidarity.
In its more than 40-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.
