The six children, whose father is imprisoned for political reasons and whose mother cannot return to Turkey for the same reason, were denied passage across the Semalka (Khabur) border. 

After being held at the border gate for several days, they were sent to a state orphanage in Şirnak. 

According to a report by Mezopotamya, the children belong to the Çelik Kurdish family from the Kûp (Bulanik) region in Muş. 

They waited for four days at the Semalka (Khabur) border in Silopi, Şirnak, and were denied permission to cross.

Two nights ago, the children were transferred to Silopi and then to a state orphanage in Şirnak. 

The children's father, Savas Çelik, was forced to migrate to Syria with his wife and six children in 2016 due to political reasons. 

In 2022, while attempting to travel to Europe, he was arrested in Lebanon and returned to Turkey. 

After being tried in court, Çelik was sent to the Dumlupinar High-Security Prison in Erzurum. After their father was imprisoned, the children's mother also could not return to Turkey for political reasons, leaving the children orphaned and homeless. 

Four Days of Waiting at the Khabur Border Gate

A few days ago, the children's uncle, Vasif Çelik, attempted to bring the children back to Kûp. He traveled to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq to return his nieces and nephews - D-Ç (16 years old), Z-Ç (14 years old), A-Ç (12 years old), A-Ç (9 years old), F-Ç (10 years old), and F-Ç (11 years old) - who were there, back to Muş. 

Due to the children's outdated identity documents, they were held at the Khabur border for four days. After being denied passage, Çelik and the children were stranded at the Khabur border. 

Waiting for DNA Matching

Following the news of their situation, the children's uncle and the children themselves were allowed to cross the border last night. The children were transferred to an orphanage under the Ministry of Family and Social Services in the Şirnak city center.

They will remain in this orphanage until a DNA match is performed with their imprisoned father. After the DNA match, the children will be handed over to their uncle.