Kurdish PKK militants destroy weapons in Iraq to launch disarmament
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\nThirty 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\u2019s May decision to disband and end its separatist struggle, prompted by leader Abdullah Ocalan\u2019s call.<\/p>\n
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\u2019s pro-Kurdish DEM party participated.<\/p>\n
The disarmament is seen as a turning point toward peace, with plans for PKK members\u2019 legal reintegration and community reconciliation. The PKK\u2019s presence in northern Iraq has been a focus of Turkish military operations. Ending the conflict may impact regional dynamics, including Kurdish groups in Syria.<\/p>\n
Ocalan urged Turkey\u2019s parliament to oversee disarmament and peace efforts. Erdogan\u2019s party called for swift completion of disarmament to achieve a \u201cterror-free Turkey\u201d and rebuild the southeast, where the conflict caused heavy economic and social costs over decades.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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\u2019s May decision to disband …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":128838,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_108372464460192_245495985553329":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-128839","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-iraq"],"yoast_head":"\n