PKK armed group; is still proud of killing children in 45-year-old war with Turkey and also holds an anniversary ceremony for the children killed because of being a member of this group. Meanwhile, PKK continues to recruit Kurdish children, especially Iranian Kurdish children.
According to the official report of the United Nations, in 2022, more than 1,200 children have been listed as fighters in the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and its affiliated groups. Antonio Guterres, the Secretary General of the United Nations, has also clearly acknowledged: “I am extremely worried about the recruitment and use of children by PKK and HPG (People’s Defense Forces). It should be noted that according to international laws, non-governmental armed groups are prohibited from employing people under 18 and using children under 15 is a war crime. Despite of signing an agreement with Geneva Call (Swiss humanitarian organization dedicated to the protection of civilians in armed conflicts) in 2014, the use of child soldiers by the PKK/YPG not only continued, but actually intensified since then.
In the latest action, the PKK/PJAK (Firat) news agency has commemorated the death of several children who died in the war with Turkey in 2018. Meanwhile, the PKK is still silent about the age of these people at the time of membership, their burial place and why they use children in their structure, especially the military department.
PKK Information and Press Center has admitted that some of the children in the above photo are Iranian citizens. Of course, PKK has not mentioned why Iranian Kurds should be victims of PKK’s futile war with Turkey and, what is the basic goal of the PKK in this war? Freedom of Kurdistan or freedom of Ocalan? The PKK-affiliated People Defense Forces Information and Press Center announced that the people in the above photo died on January 29, 2018, during the Turkish army’s attacks on Media areas. The Iranian Kurdistan Human Rights Watch continues to repeat its request to the PKK: “End the use of children as armed forces on the battlefield and in the mountains without facilities and adhere to your human rights obligations.” IKHRW also considers the Iranian government to be responsible for tracking the true fate and burial place of Iranian citizens. The government of Iran is obliged to provide at least the bodies of these people to the families for burial.
The Iranian people who were killed in 2018 are as follows:
Organization name: Parvin Vian
Name and Surname: Roya Tandrost
Place of birth: Urmia
Mother-Father’s name: Golchin-Khales
Time and place of testimony: January 29, 2018 / Khakurek
