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Akbar Novruz

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In a historic and unprecedented move, the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) officially ended its nearly five-decade armed struggle with a symbolic arms-laying ceremony held in Sulaymaniyah, within Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), on July 11, Azernews reports.

The disarmament event, held in Casana Cave, came in response to a call by PKK founder Abdullah Öcalan. In a statement read at the ceremony, representatives of the PKK-affiliated Peace and Democratic Society Group declared:

“From now on, we are destroying our weapons with our free will, in order to continue our struggle for freedom, democracy, and socialism through democratic political and legal methods, and on the basis of the enactment of democratic integration laws.”

The statement emphasized the symbolic and political importance of the decision:

“We hope that this step we have taken will be beneficial to all our people, especially women and youth, to the peoples of Turkey and the Middle East, and to all humanity, and that it will bring peace and freedom.”

The event was witnessed by a delegation of approximately 150 people, including politicians, intellectuals, human rights defenders, and members of the press. Delegates included DEM Party Co-Chairs Tülay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırhan, DBP Co-Chairs Çiğdem Kılıçgün Uçar and Keskin Bayındır, Peace Mothers Assembly members, and several MPs. Although journalists were not permitted direct access to the ceremony for security reasons, a live viewing was arranged in the Dukan district, where around 200 journalists observed the event via screen.

Bahçeli hails ‘milestone’

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairman Devlet Bahçeli, who played a key role in initiating the latest peace initiative, welcomed the move as a significant turning point.

“Effective today, the separatist terrorist organization has begun surrendering its weapons,” he said.
“Turkey is on the verge of salvation from the scourge of separatist terrorism, whose past has been riveted by nearly half a century of violence and brutality.”

Describing the developments as “positive and heartwarming,” Bahçeli added:

“With the completion of the arms surrender process within the specified timeframe, bad memories will be left behind, and the Turkish nation will be the architect and axis of the new century.”

He further noted that:

“Indeed, as can be seen from his latest video message, the PKK's founding leadership kept its word, stood by its commitments, and foresaw global and regional threats in a timely manner.”

DEM Party’s role acknowledged

In a notable gesture, Bahçeli also praised the role of the pro-Kurdish DEM Party, stating:

“The DEM Party has maintained a sensible and responsible political line, sincerely adhering to the goal of a terror-free Turkey, and has stood on the side of a thousand-year-old brotherhood with balanced and accurate words and assessments.”

The current peace process, dubbed “Terror-Free Turkey” by the government and “Peace and Democratic Society” by DEM Party representatives, was catalyzed by a call from Bahçeli to Abdullah Öcalan earlier this year. Öcalan, imprisoned on İmralı Island for 26 years, responded positively, and on February 27, made a public call for disarmament.

Subsequently, from May 5–7, the PKK held a congress in which it formally decided to dissolve its military wing and lay down arms.

The KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union), which oversaw the disarmament logistics, had earlier announced that journalists would not be allowed inside the arms-laying site and that no live broadcast would be made for security reasons.

This latest step marks a potentially transformative moment in Turkish politics and the broader Middle East, signaling a shift from militancy to political engagement. However, the durability of the peace process remains contingent on developments in the coming months and the continued political will on all sides.