Turkish Interior Minister meets with protesting veterans and martyrs' families

Members of the Association of Martyrs' Families and Veterans met with Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi in Ankara to discuss ongoing grievances. Erdem Çerçioğlu, the association's president, stated that the Minister requested a formal file detailing their problems, which he promised to relay to the relevant authorities.

The meeting follows a 38-day sit-in protest by veterans and families of martyrs. Çerçioğlu emphasized that the group will continue their protest until they find a proper interlocutor or receive their requested rights, noting the physical hardships faced by participants, including those with visual impairments and prosthetic limbs.

In a separate development, Zafer Party Leader Ümit Özdağ joined the protesters after they were prevented from walking to the Ministry of Interior by riot police. Özdağ criticized the police intervention and called on Minister Çiftçi to host the veterans at the ministry to listen to their concerns rather than blocking their access.