JINHA

AMED – A march of youth bearing flags and the long "Freedom for Öcalan" march from the Cizre region of Kurdistan enlivened the world's largest Newroz celebration today in Amed.

Early this morning, thousands of youths held a march starting from Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Bağlar neighborhood branch office to the rally area, carrying the flags of the PKK, KCK, YPG and YPJ while chanting slogans, including “Long Live Leader Apo”. The youth marched in traditional Kurdish clothes, and were joined by many people in the streets who were on their way to the rally area. The mass drew applause as it entered the Newroz field.

The march from the Cizre Botan area of Kurdistan, which set out a week ago demanding "Freedom for Öcalan," arrived in Amed in the evening hours of Friday have. Thousands of people welcomed them chanting slogans of "Freedom for Öcalan" and "Long live Leader Apo." Today, the march entered the Newroz Square to cheers and slogans of support for the jailed PKK leader.

In the town of Bismil in Diyarbakır province, people gathered for the now-traditional Newroz train to the city center. After the train was full with peeople, dozens of youths climbed to the top of the train, despite officials' warnings. The train headed out towards Diyarbakır Newroz packed with joyful celebrants.

The city center of Amed is now empty as hundreds of thousands of people continue flocking to the huge field where the rally is taking place, with traffic jams in several neighborhoods. Tens of thousands of people have been trying to reach the Newroz area since early this morning from all parts of the city, while many people have camped in the area since yesterday evening.

This year’s Newroz in Amed has also attracted mass participation from all over North Kurdistan and many other cities of Turkey.

(nt/cm)