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Al-Ahram Weekly
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
The future of Turkey's Kurds
Fighters from the Kurdistan Workers Party have been laying down their arms in ceremonies conducted within the framework of Turkish-Kurdish peace negotiations On 11 July, a group of 30 fighters from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) – half of them women – placed their weapons in a large cauldron in front of the historic Jasana cave in northern Iraq and set them alight. The symbolic disarmament ceremony – described as historic – was conducted in the framework of the ongoing Kurdish-Turkish peace negotiations that are being conducted beneath the slogan 'a terror-free Turkey.' The ceremony came in response to a video message aired two days earlier from PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan to his followers. 'I believe in the power of politics and societal peace, not weapons, and I call on you to put this principle into practice,' he said. The iconic PKK leader has been held in near solitary confinement in the Imralı Prison near Istanbul since 1999. This was his first publicised video message in 26 years. It follows an earlier written message in February calling on all PKK groups to lay down their arms. 'The PKK must dissolve itself,' it read. 'Convene your congress and take the decision to integrate with the state and society.' The PKK members' symbolic gesture received a very positive response from Ankara. 'Today marks a new day, a new chapter in history. The doors to a great, strong Turkey— Century of Turkey — have been fully opened,' Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during a meeting of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) on 12 July. Describing the disarmament ceremony as a victory for Turkey's 86 million citizens, Turks, Kurds and Arabs, he said, 'the Republic of Turkey is our shared home, our common roof. All 86 million of us are one, united, and brothers for eternity.' Urging the public to have confidence in the government that is working to secure a better future, he said that 'we will facilitate the process with care and urgency, without harming anyone, and closely monitor the laying down of weapons.' The PKK has been under increasing pressure to disarm. Its leader's decisions followed by its members' historic gesture of good faith cannot be viewed separately from developments in Syria following the overthrow of the Bashar Al-Assad regime in December 2024. Soon afterwards, Turkey succeeded in bringing Syria's neighbouring states together in a high-level meeting hosted by Jordan in March to forge a regional anti-terrorism coalition, primarily aiming to combat the Islamic State (IS) group and the PKK, which Turkey has designated as a terrorist organisation. Analysts believe that the PKK has come to recognise that the militant option will yield at best limited results, especially in view of regional and international developments. Part of the group's networks in Syria and Iraq have collapsed under sustained Turkish military pressure. In Syria, the predominantly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have experienced internal rifts. To the east, the PKK sustained setbacks as a consequence of the Israeli attack against Iran. Prior to this, Israel and its Western backers succeeded in neutralising segments of Iran's regional proxies, thereby reducing Tehran's support for the PKK. Another likely factor informing the PKK decision to disarm is the shift in US policy towards Syria. On 30 June, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order lifting sanctions on Syria. Prior to this, on 5 June, the US withdrew over 500 troops from three bases in northeastern Syria, and on 17 June it withdrew forces from two additional bases in that area. The moves suggest that the Trump administration is accelerating the reduction of the US military presence in Syria and by extension US support for the SDF, which, according to some analysts, is a source of concern for the PKK. At the same time, the Trump administration is keen to support the new Syrian leadership and has echoed Interim Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa's calls for national unity. Meanwhile, since the opening of the parliamentary season last autumn, when Erdogan's far-right ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli walked over to shake hands with the leader of the pro-Kurdish People's Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, Ankara has increasingly leaned into a major shift in its policy towards the Kurdish rights movement. In April, Erdogan met with a delegation from the DEM to discuss prospects for reviving the Turkish-Kurdish peace process that he had abandoned in 2015. More recently, on 24 June, Bahçeli called on all Turkish parties to support a new peace initiative that promised to make Turkey free of terrorism. The MHP and Bahçeli personally had long been fervent opponents of dialogue with the PKK. Turkey's current approach to the PKK is shaped by three key factors. The first is Erdogan's determination to secure support for a new constitution, which is currently being drafted. Secondly, he is desperate to contain the growing influence of the opposition parties, above all the People's Republican Party (CHP), which has been gaining remarkably in the polls. The third is the need to counter the Israeli threat. Tel Aviv's invective against Turkey has become increasingly strident, most recently in response to Ankara's defence of Iran's right to complete its nuclear programme. Bahçeli, perhaps reflecting the concerns of the Turkish leadership in general regarding Israeli behaviour in the region, warned that Turkey might be Israel's next target after Iran. Despite the hopes raised by the PKK arms-burning ceremony and its reception in Ankara, the road to peace and the PKK's integration into Turkish political life is unlikely to be smooth. One of the foremost obstacles is Turkish scepticism and mistrust. According to some Turkish assessments, the PKK still owns hidden arsenals of weapons. Ankara also fears that the PKK fighters in Iraq might merge with Iranian-backed militias. The mistrust is also mutual. In the long run, PKK leaders worry that their fighters will not obtain the necessary legal protections from potential witch hunts after an agreement. Turkey has never articulated a concrete vision for resolving the conflict politically and in terms of legal guarantees. In addition, the PKK is concerned by the threat of continued Turkish military operations despite ongoing negotiations. In recent months, Turkey has launched frequent strikes against PKK strongholds in Iraqi Kurdistan, claiming dozens of casualties. If, to the PKK leadership, this betrays a lack of good faith, the Turkish leadership argues that a two-pronged approach – military operations in tandem with dialogue – is needed to push effectively for a peaceful solution. Perhaps it has the PKK's more hardline nationalist wing in mind. The 'Qandil faction,' as it is called, has previously opposed unilateral disarmament and organisational dismantlement. This faction still subscribes to armed struggle as the most effective means to secure Kurdish rights in the face of what it regards the systemic Turkish antagonism to and marginalisation of the country's large Kurdish minority. It also argues that this struggle has helped focus international attention on the question of Kurdish national, political, and cultural rights. Ankara may be calculating that the military dimension of its two-pronged approach will drive a wedge between this faction and the Ocalan faction, weakening the negotiating hand of the latter. Be that as it may, any peace process will have to navigate through obstacles posed by the hardline factions on both sides, whether the Kurdish militants or the far right Turkish ethnonationalists. But perhaps more crucially, to move forward a peace process needs clarity in the form of a concrete vision or roadmap – and this, so far, remains lacking. * A version of this article appears in print in the 17 July, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
See - Sada Elbalad
5 days ago
- Politics
- See - Sada Elbalad
PKK Fighters Burn Weapons in Historic Event
Taarek Refaat In a historic ceremony near the city of Slemani in northern Iraq, members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) symbolically laid down their arms on Friday, marking the end of over four decades of armed struggle against Turkey. This move, which comes after two months of negotiations and the party's announcement to end its insurgency, is seen by many as a step toward a political resolution between the Kurds and Turkey. Kurdish citizens in Turkey are hopeful that this shift will pave the way for a peace settlement with Ankara. Around 30 PKK fighters, including women, participated in the ceremony, which took place near the cave of Jassneh, located about 50 kilometers west of Slemani. The fighters, many of whom held leadership roles, burned their weapons as part of the symbolic act. The event is being hailed as a 'historic democratic operation' by the PKK, marking a critical transition from armed resistance to political engagement. Speaking at the ceremony, PKK leaders, including Basi Hozat and Behjat Şarçıl, addressed a crowd of around 300 attendees, including officials, media representatives, and those from various Kurdish political factions. They referred to the destruction of the weapons as a 'historic democratic operation,' emphasizing their hope for a future of peace, equality, and democracy. As the fighters laid down their arms, many were visibly emotional, with some crying and others chanting "Long live Apo!" – a reference to Abdullah Öcalan, the PKK's founder and leader who has been imprisoned in Turkey since 1999. The event represents a significant shift for the PKK, which has waged an armed insurgency against Turkey since 1984, leading to the deaths of over 40,000 people. Öcalan's call for the cessation of armed resistance earlier this year has become a pivotal moment in Kurdish-Turkish relations. Turkish officials have welcomed this development, with one senior government figure describing the PKK's move as "a milestone and a welcome step." The Turkish government views this as an irreversible turning point in the conflict. The laying down of arms comes at a time when Turkey has intensified its efforts to address the Kurdish issue. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has previously expressed optimism that the PKK's decision could mark the beginning of an era of peace, free from terrorism. He described the move as an important step toward a "terrorism-free" Turkey. This step is also tied to ongoing indirect negotiations between Abdullah Öcalan and Ankara, facilitated by Turkish President Erdoğan. These talks, which began in October 2022, aim to create a legal and democratic political framework for the Kurdish community in Turkey, following decades of armed conflict. Erdoğan has suggested that peace efforts with the Kurds will accelerate as the PKK moves forward with its decision to lay down arms, expecting "positive news in the coming days." Moreover, an Iraqi security source indicated that the disarmament process is expected to conclude by 2026, after which a new Kurdish political party will be formed in Turkey. This would mark a new phase in Turkey's efforts to integrate its Kurdish minority into the broader political landscape, offering hope for a long-term peace agreement. The PKK's decision to end its armed struggle comes at a time of increasing regional cooperation between the Kurdish political movements in Turkey and Iraq, with Kurdish leaders like Masoud Barzani showing support for the peace process. It is expected that these developments will provide a much-needed opening for the Kurdish minority, who make up around 20% of Turkey's population, to engage in peaceful dialogue with the Turkish government. While the outcome of this process remains uncertain, the move to lay down arms is a crucial step toward achieving a lasting peace and a political solution to the Kurdish issue in Turkey. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War News "Tensions Escalate: Iran Probes Allegations of Indian Tech Collaboration with Israeli Intelligence" News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream Arts & Culture Hawass Foundation Launches 1st Course to Teach Ancient Egyptian Language
Roya News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Roya News
PHOTOS: Historic disarmament: Kurdish PKK-affiliated group surrenders weapons
After nearly five decades of armed insurgency, a faction affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has symbolically surrendered its weapons, initiating a process expected to see all elements lay down their arms within the next three to five months. This pivotal step comes in direct response to a call from the PKK's imprisoned historical leader, Abdullah Öcalan, who is held in Turkey. The "Peace and Democratic Society Group," comprising approximately 30 armed individuals, chose the historic Sajnha Cave in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq for the disarmament ceremony. The event was led by prominent PKK figures Bese Hozat and Nedim Seven. The group handed over a cache of weapons, including Kalashnikov rifles, sniper rifles, automatic machine guns, and pistols, to representatives of Turkish and Iraqi security agencies. The surrendered weapons were placed in special containers and subsequently destroyed by burning. Reports indicate that media access to the cave ceremony was limited, with only representatives from the PKK's own media and official Turkish institutions present. Other journalists gathered at a distant hotel in the Dukan tourist resort to cover a recorded broadcast of the event on a large screen. In a speech delivered in both Turkish and Kurdish, Bese Hozat, a figure on Turkey's most-wanted list, stated, "We are destroying our weapons before you, by our free will, and on the basis of enacting democratic integration laws." Local media in the Kurdistan Region noted that Hozat's rare public appearance added significant political weight to the event. While some Kurdish media claimed Mustafa Karasu, another key PKK figure, also surrendered his weapon, sources close to the PKK and attendees denied his participation. Historical significance of the cave The choice of Sajnha Cave for the ceremony carried profound historical symbolism for the Kurdish community. It was to this cave that Mahmud Barzanji, a Kurdish political leader known as the "King of Kurdistan," had sought refuge after areas in Sulaymaniyah came under attack by British Royal Air Force aircraft in 1923. From this very cave, Barzanji, later exiled to India, issued "Bang-i Haq," the first newspaper speaking for his government, before becoming the ruler of Southern Kurdistan. During the 1980s and 1990s, the cave also gained strategic importance for Kurdish Peshmerga forces, serving as a vital refuge during the years of rebellion against Saddam Hussein's regime in the regions of Surdash, Dukan, and the Pira Magrun mountain range. Ceremony details, attendees The ceremony was held at 12:00 PM (GMT+2) with the presence of security forces affiliated with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), a party with strong influence in Sulaymaniyah. PUK forces oversaw the transfer of PKK fighters from their base in Qandil to the cave area and ensured their return after the ceremony. Representatives from Turkish intelligence and security agencies also attended, alongside politicians and parliamentarians from the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party). Among them were veteran politician Ahmet Türk, the ousted Mayor of Mardin, and Sezai Temelli, the Deputy Parliamentary Group Leader for the DEM Party. Both Türk and Temelli had participated in visits to Öcalan in İmralı prison, with Türk being part of the delegation that attended Öcalan's "Peace and Democratic Society" call on February 27, and Temelli joining the delegation after the passing of MP Sırrı Süreyya Önder in April. Öcalan's Call, PKK's Statement In a statement released concurrently with the ceremony, the faction asserted it destroyed its weapons out of "free will" in response to "Leader Apo's" (Abdullah Öcalan's) call. The statement, delivered by Bese Hozat, Co-Chair of the PKK Executive Committee, affirmed: "We are here now in response to the call of the Kurdish people's leader, Abdullah Öcalan, to ensure the practical success of the peace and democratic society process, and to wage our struggle for freedom, democracy, and socialism through political, legal, and democratic methods, on the basis of enacting laws for democratic integration. We are voluntarily destroying our weapons before you, as a step of good faith and determination." The statement emphasized that amid escalating pressures and "fascist exploitation" globally, and the ongoing "bloodshed in the Middle East," the Kurdish people urgently need a peaceful, free, equal, and democratic life. It called on youth, women, socialist and democratic forces, and all peoples to recognize, appreciate, and support the historic value of these steps toward peace and democracy. While the burning of weapons was symbolic, indicating the PKK's seriousness in destroying its arms, the ultimate fate of all PKK weaponry and its full disposal remains unclear. It is anticipated that specific handover points will be designated along the Turkish-Iraqi border for the full disarmament process. Widespread Welcome The initial step towards disarming the PKK was met with a welcome in both Erbil and Ankara. Nechirvan Barzani, President of the Kurdistan Region, described it as an "important and joyous step towards the success of the peace process," affirming it would "move the peace process to a new stage, and practical steps will follow to advance the process on the right track." Bafel Jalal Talabani, head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, also hailed the surrender of PKK fighters' weapons as a "historic step towards a new phase," hoping it would lead to "normalizing relations and stabilizing the Kurdistan Region." In Turkey, the primary party concerned by the development, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan described the PKK's initiation of disarmament on Friday as an "important step that will lead to positive results," according to Anadolu Agency. Who are the PKK? The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) is a Kurdish militant and political organization founded in the late 1970s. It launched an armed insurgency against the Turkish state in 1984, seeking greater Kurdish rights and autonomy in Turkey. The conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives. The PKK is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union. Its leader, Abdullah Öcalan, has been imprisoned in Turkey since 1999. The group operates primarily from bases in mountainous regions of northern Iraq.
Euronews
5 days ago
- Politics
- Euronews
PKK militants in Iraq begin laying down arms as part of peace deal
Fighters with a Kurdish separatist militant group that has waged a decades-long insurgency in Turkey began laying down their weapons in a symbolic ceremony in northern Iraq on Friday, the first step toward a promised disarmament as part of a peace process. The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) announced in May that it would disband and renounce armed conflict, ending four decades of hostilities. The move came after PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has been imprisoned on an island near Istanbul since 1999, urged his group in February to convene a congress and formally disband and disarm. Öcalan renewed his call in a video message broadcast on Wednesday, saying, "I believe in the power of politics and social peace, not weapons." Most journalists were not allowed at the site of Friday's ceremony. The PKK issued a statement from the fighters laying down their weapons, who called themselves the Peace and Democratic Society Group, saying that they had disarmed "as a gesture of goodwill and a commitment to the practical success" of the peace process. "We will henceforth continue our struggle for freedom, democracy, and socialism through democratic politics and legal means," the statement said. The ceremony took place in the mountains outside the city of Sulaymaniyah in northern Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region. The state-run Iraqi News Agency reported that "the process will take place in stages, with a group of party members initially laying down their weapons symbolically." The disarmament process is expected to be completed by September, the agency reported. An Iraqi Kurdish political official said about 30 fighters took part in the ceremony, in the presence of a representative of the Turkish intelligence service and representatives of the Kurdish regional government, Iraq's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan party and the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party, a pro-Kurdish party in Turkey. Failed previous negotiations The PKK, which was founded in 1987, is considered a terrorist organisation by the European Union and Turkey, as well countries including the United States and the United Kingdom. The PKK's original aim was to establish a Kurdish state in the southeast of Turkey, but over time its goals evolved into a campaign for greater autonomy for Turkey's Kurdish population. The conflict between PKK militants and state forces — which has spread beyond Turkey's borders into Iraq and Syria — has killed 15,000 people over the past 40 years, according to official figures. The last peace negotiations between the PKK and the Turkish state — which occurred between 2013 and 2015 — were ultimately unsuccessful. The PKK has long maintained bases in the mountains of northern Iraq, where Turkish forces have launched offensives and airstrikes and have set up bases in the area. Scores of villages have emptied as a result of the violence, as displaced Kurdish Iraqis have voiced hopes that this peace process will finally allow them to go home. Iraq's government announced an official ban on the separatist group last year. Turkey's response Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus said the initial disarmament step had proceeded "as planned," but cautioned that the process was far from complete. "There's still a long way to go in collecting many more weapons," Kurtulmus said. "What matters is ending the armed era in a way that ensures weapons are never taken up again." The official noted that the Turkish parliament was close to setting up a commission to oversee the peace process. The Turkish government has stated that negotiations with the PKK are part of a plan to build a "terror free Turkey", with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expected to deliver a "historic" speech on these latest events on Saturday. Devlet Bahceli, Erdoğan's nationalist ally who initiated the peace process, welcomed the development. "Starting today, members of the separatist terrorist organisation have begun surrendering their weapons in groups, marking historic developments that signal the end of a dark era," Bahceli said in a written statement. "These are exceptionally important days for both Turkey and our region." Bahceli, who has traditionally maintained a hard-line stance against the PKK, surprised everyone in October, when he suggested in parliament that Öcalan could be granted parole if he renounced violence and disbanded the PKK. The disarmament process is expected to be completed in a few months.
Al-Ahram Weekly
5 days ago
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Kurdish PKK fighters in Iraq begin laying down weapons as part of peace process with Turkey - Region
Fighters with a Kurdish separatist militant group that has waged a decades-long insurgency in Turkey began laying down their weapons in a symbolic ceremony Friday in northern Iraq, the first concrete step toward a promised disarmament as part of a peace process. The Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, announced in May it would disband and renounce armed conflict, ending four decades of hostilities. The move came after PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has been imprisoned on an island near Istanbul since 1999, urged his group in February to convene a congress and formally disband and disarm. The ceremony took place in the mountains outside the city of Sulaymaniyah in northern Iraq's semiautonomous Kurdish region. The state-run Iraqi News Agency reported that 'the process will take place in stages, with a group of party members initially laying down their weapons "symbolically.' The disarmament process is expected to be completed by September, the agency reported. The PKK has long maintained bases in the mountains of northern Iraq. Turkish forces have launched offensives and airstrikes against the PKK in Iraq and have set up bases in the area. Scores of villages have emptied as a result. The Iraqi government in Baghdad last year announced an official ban on the separatist group, which has long been prohibited in Turkey. It was not immediately clear how many fighters took part in Friday's ceremony. Officials had earlier said that the number might be a few dozen. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
