Turkey’s first lady on Thursday applauded the mothers who have been protesting against the abduction of their children by the PKK terrorist group.

In a Twitter post, Emine Erdogan said: “Exactly one year ago today, I had visited sit-in mothers in Diyarbakir. To this day, 22 mothers reunited with their children but 161 families’ watch for their abducted children marks the 486th day.”

“I wish all mothers, who wait patiently, to reunite with their children in the new year,” she said.

In another Twitter post, Erdogan said: "No matter how great the threat of a terrorist organization, it is doomed to be ineffective in the face of the warm hearts of mothers.”

“Torch lit by sit-in mothers became a light for all of us,” she added.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people including women, children and infants. The YPG is the PKK’s Syrian offshoot​​​​​​​./aa