Kurdish PKK militants destroy weapons in Iraq to launch disarmament

Kurdish PKK militants destroy weapons in Iraq to launch disarmament
————————————–
Thirty PKK militants burned their weapons in northern Iraq on July 11, 2025, marking a symbolic step toward ending the decades-long insurgency against Turkey, Arab News reported. The disarmament ceremony, attended by Kurdish, Iraqi, and Turkish officials, followed the PKK’s May decision to disband and end its separatist struggle, prompted by leader Abdullah Ocalan’s call.

President Erdogan welcomed the move, hoping it would enhance security and regional stability. The ceremony took place near Sulaymaniyah, with fighters voluntarily destroying arms as a gesture of goodwill. Turkish and Iraqi intelligence, Kurdish regional officials, and Turkey’s pro-Kurdish DEM party participated.

The disarmament is seen as a turning point toward peace, with plans for PKK members’ legal reintegration and community reconciliation. The PKK’s presence in northern Iraq has been a focus of Turkish military operations. Ending the conflict may impact regional dynamics, including Kurdish groups in Syria.

Ocalan urged Turkey’s parliament to oversee disarmament and peace efforts. Erdogan’s party called for swift completion of disarmament to achieve a “terror-free Turkey” and rebuild the southeast, where the conflict caused heavy economic and social costs over decades.