Parents elated after their PKK-linked sons surrender

Ankara

Two PKK terrorists met with their families Thursday amid their ongoing judicial processes.

They had been persuaded to lay down their weapons and surrender to Turkish security forces, who collaborated with their families

Video footage shared by the police directorate in eastern Turkey's Van province showed the emotional moments when the two men united with their families, who had been distraught for years after they joined the PKK terror group.

The father of one of the terrorists said he had been tearful for years, but Thursday marked a happy day for him.

“All [terrorists] should come and surrender to the [Turkish] state. I swear, I cried for five years at home, every single day,” he said.

One of the mothers – who previously visited a group of mothers protesting in front of the office of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) in Diyarbakir, accusing the party of helping the PKK terror group forcibly recruit their children – said the return of her son brought great happiness.

“I’m so happy,” she said, adding there were many other mothers who were going through the same ordeal.

"I hope their children also return and they become happy. My only wish from God is that they reunite [with their children],” she said.

She said she has not even been able to sleep properly since her son left home five years ago, adding she would constantly cry, even while performing prayers.

According to a statement by the Turkish Interior Ministry on Nov. 26, the dissolution of the PKK has recently accelerated thanks to successfully conducted counter-terrorism operations in Turkey and abroad.

The statement said terrorists have started to flee the PKK and surrender more than ever. More than 235 terrorists have surrendered to Turkish security forces in 2019.

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

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

According to their statements, the ringleaders of the PKK terror group risk the lives of other terrorists to save their own lives and threaten those planning to surrender with torture.

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 nearly 40,000 people, including women, children and infants. The YPG is the PKK’s Syrian offshoot.

*Writing by Ali Murat Alhas