The Kurdish disarmament Turkey initiative reached a turning point as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan praised the move as a “historic moment” for national unity. He said the disarmament by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) signaled the end of a “painful chapter” in Turkey’s recent history.
Speaking at a party meeting in Ankara, Erdogan emphasized that the more than 40-year conflict was nearing its end.
Symbolic Disarmament in Iraq
His remarks followed a symbolic disarmament event on Friday. In northern Iraq, male and female PKK fighters threw rifles and machine guns into a cauldron and set them on fire. According to observers, this act marked the first tangible step in the group’s promise to disarm.
This gesture came after PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, who has been imprisoned since 1999, urged the group to disband. The PKK announced its intent to disarm in May, in response to Ocalan’s call.
A Painful History of Conflict
The PKK launched its armed insurgency in 1984. Initially, it sought to establish an independent Kurdish state. However, its goals later shifted toward autonomy and rights for Kurds inside Turkey.
The fighting claimed tens of thousands of lives. Moreover, the conflict extended into Iraq and Syria. Turkey, the U.S., and the European Union classify the PKK as a terrorist organization.
Erdogan underlined the significance of the shift, calling it “a door to a new Turkish century.”
Political Commitments and No Bargains
In its Friday statement, the PKK said the act of disarmament was a gesture of goodwill. It expressed commitment to pursuing its goals through political and legal means instead of armed struggle.
“We will henceforth continue our struggle for freedom, democracy, and socialism through democratic politics and legal means,” the group said.
Despite the developments, Erdogan rejected the idea that the government had negotiated with the PKK. “The terror-free Turkey project is not the result of bargaining or concessions,” he insisted.
So far, officials have not disclosed whether any hidden arrangements were part of the process.
New Peace Oversight Mechanism
To ensure transparency, Erdogan also announced that a new parliamentary commission would be formed. This body will oversee the implementation and progress of the peace process.
While previous peace attempts, most recently in 2015, failed to last, the current disarmament efforts have sparked cautious optimism.
