On Sunday, the Turkish president criticised Western human rights advocates for doing nothing to assist a group of mothers who were protesting and demanding the return of their children, whom they claim were abducted by the terrorist organisation PKK.
“Where are these Western advocates for human rights? Did they ever pay the mothers in Diyarbakir a visit? They have nothing to do with promoting human rights, “Speaking at an opening ceremony in the city of Diyarbakir in the southeast, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.
Families whose kids are allegedly being kidnapped or forcibly recruited by the PKK have been camped out in front of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) offices in Diyarbakir since September 3, 2019, a party the Turkish government claims has ties to the terror group and is currently being sued for closure in the country’s highest court.
Since then, protests have spread to additional provinces like Van, Mus, Sirnak, and Hakkari.
The PKK, which is recognised as a terrorist group by Turkey, the US, and the EU, has killed over 40,000 people during its more than 35-year terror campaign against that country, including women, children, and infants.
Erdogan has frequently criticised Western nations for their lack of unity in the face of PKK terrorist attacks, including the US’s support for the PKK’s Syrian offshoot, the YPG, and for allowing PKK terrorists to live and protest on European soil.