Turkey's 1st lady lauds mothers' sit-in against YPG/PKK

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey

Dozens of mothers taking part in a months-long sit-in protest in southeastern Turkey against the YPG/PKK terrorist group will defeat terrorism and oppression, Turkey's first lady said on Tuesday.

"I believe with all my heart that the power of motherly love will defeat terrorism, weapons, and oppression," Emine Erdogan said during a visit to Diyarbakir province in support to mothers whose children were kidnapped the terrorist group YPG/PKK.

Praising the mothers' protest -- now nearly completing its fourth month -- against terrorism, Erdogan said the mothers accomplished the "real revolution".

"I am proud of you," she said, expressing hope that all the mothers would reunite with their children.

Dozens of mothers started the protest on Sept. 3 outside the offices of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), a party accused by the government of having links to the terrorist YPG/PKK, in Diyarbakir when Fevziye Cetinkaya, Remziye Akkoyun, and Aysegul Bicer said their children had been forcibly recruited by PKK terrorists.

Since then, the number of families in front of the building is growing as they demand the return of their children, who, they claim, were deceived or kidnapped by terrorists.

In its more than 30-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. The YPG is the PKK's Syrian offshoot.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar