The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has begun a historic disarmament process, marking a potential end to over 40 years of armed conflict with Türkiye.

On Friday, in Iraq’s northern Kurdish region, 20 to 30 PKK fighters symbolically destroyed their weapons under tight security, kicking off a disarmament effort expected to continue through the summer. The fighters chose to destroy their arms rather than surrender them, emphasizing the autonomous nature of the move.

The PKK, designated a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the EU, and the US, has been engaged in an insurgency since 1984, initially seeking Kurdish autonomy in southeastern Türkiye. The conflict has claimed over 40,000 lives, including thousands of civilians, and caused widespread displacement.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hailed the disarmament as a “turning point” for Türkiye and the region, stating, “This is totally ripping off and throwing away the bloody shackles that were put on our country’s legs.” He emphasized the potential benefits for the region, which has long suffered from the conflict’s fallout.

The disarmament follows the PKK’s May 2025 announcement to abandon its armed campaign. In a June video broadcast by the PKK-linked Firat News Agency, the group’s imprisoned leader, Abdullah Öcalan, called the move a “voluntary transition” to “democratic politics and law,” describing it as a “historic gain” for the Kurdish movement.

Regional observers are cautiously optimistic, viewing the disarmament as the most significant step toward peace since the collapse of talks in 2015. While no formal peace agreement has been announced, the process could pave the way for dialogue and reconciliation between Ankara and Kurdish communities. (ILKHA)