Father in Aleppo waits for son’s return after daughter kidnapped by PKK
The PKK/YPG Terrorist Organization Continues to Kidnap Children in Syria
The terrorist organization PKK/YPG is once again in the spotlight for kidnapping children in the regions it invades in Syria. The latest victim is Rukan Mustafa, a young girl born in 2008, who was kidnapped in the Sheikh Maksud District of Aleppo on December 12, 2023.
Six days after Rukan’s abduction, her father Mustafa received a call from YPJ, the so-called women’s wing of the terrorist organization, informing him that his daughter was in their hands. Mustafa, a father of six children, including four daughters, now lives in fear for the safety of his other children and cannot send them to school.
Ahmed Mustafa, the grieving father, shared his heartbreak and longing for his daughter, revealing that Rukan was taken by the terrorist organization while leaving work at a hairdresser. He expressed his desperation, stating, “I have not seen my daughter for almost three months now. They called me after six days and said that my daughter was with YPJ.”
Mustafa, who has been tirelessly searching for his daughter for 10 days without stopping at home, pleaded for her safe return. He emphasized the strong bond between him and Rukan, saying, “I have three daughters left now. Rukan is closest to her father. I am sure she is looking for me now.”
The kidnapping of children by the PKK/YPG terrorist organization is not a new phenomenon. According to the UN’s “Annual Children in Armed Conflicts” report for 2022, more than 1200 children were recruited by the PKK and its Syrian extensions, SDF and YPG, as soldiers. The report highlighted the recruitment of 637 children by the SDF and 633 by PKK/YPG and SDF-affiliated structures.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his grave concern over the use of children as soldiers by the PKK. He urged the terrorist organization to cease using children for military purposes and release all children in their ranks.
The plight of Rukan Mustafa and other abducted children in Syria serves as a reminder of the ongoing atrocities committed by the PKK/YPG terrorist organization. The international community, including the United Nations and human rights organizations, must take immediate action to bring an end to these heinous acts and ensure the safe return of innocent children to their families.
