Terrorists unable to surrender out of fear of PKK, surrendered terrorist confesses

A surrendered PKK terrorist confessed Thursday that numerous members of the terrorist group want to surrender but cannot out of fear of being caught and punished by the PKK.

The terrorist, identified with the initials V.İ., surrendered to security forces recently after spending six years with the PKK. The 21-year-old decided out of regret and following his family's and police efforts to convince him to surrender.

During the investigation, V.İ. provided inside information on the running of the terrorist group. The confessions were made within the scope of the effective remorse law.

According to V.İ., he is not alone in his regret for participating in the PKK. However, despite the efforts of the security forces, the terrorists lack the courage to leave the group because they would face severe punishment if caught.

While the Turkish security forces carry out counterterrorism operations both within Turkey and across the border, a large number of terrorists continue to surrender voluntarily. Some of the terrorists who surrendered recently also said many others cannot do so out of fear for their lives and threats.

V.İ., who was known as "Tekoşer" within the terrorist group, joined the PKK at the age of 16. Before that, he worked at a textile factory in Istanbul where he befriended an individual named Birdal.

"I was playing computer games at the arcade, Birdal came up to me and said I have to go with him. We got into a car with two other people. The car brought me to a man in Arnavutköy (a district of Istanbul). He was in his 20s. We went to a flat in there, they offered me food and I spent the night there. In the morning, another man took me to another nearby flat," he said.

There V.İ. received a note from the person with some kind of code.

"He told me to keep the note to myself and give it to another man at the next stop. He even told me to swallow the note if I'm caught by the police," he said.

Later on, V.İ. followed the instruction and took a bus to the southeastern province of Diyarbakır. He then went to the BDP headquarters, where he used the passcode "I'm looking for Aslı," referring to the old romantic tale of two lovers named Aslı and Kerem. By using the passcode V.İ. agreed to join the PKK to become a terrorist.

After joining the PKK, V.İ. went to Syria and actively participated in the terrorist group's activities.

The Interior Ministry in a Nov. 26 statement said that the dissolution of the PKK has been accelerated due to Turkey's successful counterterrorism operations and strategies both at home and abroad.

The statement said a significant number of terrorists have fled the PKK and surrendered. More than 235 terrorists have surrendered to Turkish security forces in 2019 alone.

Once the terrorists surrender, they are provided with many opportunities, including the right to education and the freedom to live without fear and oppression.

They are not ill-treated, can contact their families freely and are provided with essential judicial assistance. The Turkish state offers a variety of services to ensure their social reintegration.

According to some former terrorists, the PKK ringleaders risk the lives of others to save their own and threaten those planning to surrender with torture.