Uncle detained as DNA evidence emerges in search for missing girl

Security forces have taken the uncle of an 8-year-old missing girl into custody in the country's southeast following the brief detention and subsequent release of her elder brother.

The incident unfolded on the afternoon of Aug. 21 when Narin Güran did not return home after leaving a course in Diyarbakır province, prompting her family to initiate their own search efforts.

The search for Güran entered its 12th day on Sept. 1, a day after a sample from the uncle's car — who also serves as the headman of the family's neighborhood — was found to match the girl's DNA.

This revelation marked the most concrete piece of evidence shared with the public thus far in the investigation that has captured the attention of the country for days.

As part of the ongoing probe, Güran's 18-year-old brother, E.G., was initially detained after bite marks were found on his arm.

However, he was released after forensic analysis at in Istanbul failed to confirm whether the marks were inflicted by the girl.

The search efforts were bolstered by a significant deployment of commandos on Sept. 1, who scoured various areas, including cornfields and collected clothing and fabric remnants as evidence.

These items were to the Diyarbakır Forensic Medicine Institute for further analysis.

Meanwhile, the incident's profound impact has prompted many families in the surrounding neighborhood to install security cameras in their homes, as reported by local media.