Children protecting Turkish flag put under state protection

Three boys who received threats from the PKK terrorist organization after hoisting a Turkish flag at a school in the southeast have been provided protection, government sources have said.

Emirhan Rezbiç, Uğur Saraç and Mehmet Duruk made the headlines earlier this month when they raised a Turkish flag after it was brought down by PKK supporters in the city of Diyarbakır. Boys, aged between 7 and 11, were received by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan who lauded their heroic act in a city under the PKK threat.

The boys' families told the media that the trio was threatened by terrorists after the incident made waves on social media. One of the boy's fathers had claimed he was fired from his job due to threats to his workplace.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said they would not let anyone who "keeps the flag high" be crushed by threats. The government will assist the unemployed father find a job and provide security detail for the children. The children will be relocated to another school if threats continue, government sources said.