Erdogan threatens murderers

Narin’s (8) body discovered in sack after 3 weeks

Women's rights activists and the pro-Kurdish opposition party DEM called for demonstrations after the body was found.(Bild: AFP/Ozan KOSE / AFP)

After almost three weeks of searching in Turkey, an eight-year-old girl has been found dead in a sack in a river about one kilometer from her home village. Narin had disappeared on August 21 and a nationwide search had been conducted for her.

The body was reportedly discovered in a sack in a river. "According to initial findings, she was put in a sack after her murder. The sack was then placed in the river and covered under branches and stones to avoid arousing suspicion," said provincial governor Murat Zorluoglu.

Arrests in the family circle
Since Narin's disappearance, the Diyarbakir public prosecutor's office has arrested 21 people. Among them is the girl's uncle, who is being investigated on suspicion of murder and deprivation of liberty. According to television reports, the girl's parents and brother are also among those arrested.

Erdogan threatens: murderers to receive "harshest punishment"
The case has attracted nationwide attention and sympathy, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also intervening. After the body was found, he declared on Sunday: "The sad news of the fate of Narin, who was brutally murdered, has shaken us all to the core." He said he would continue to pursue the case "to ensure that those who took Narin away from us receive the harshest possible punishment."