Latest news with #Ankara-PKK
Rudaw Net
7 days ago
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Turkey says SDF must prove commitment to integration deal with Damascus
Also in Middle East Turkey accuses Israel of trying to 'divide Syria,' vows to intervene Iraq says Turkey ready to renew, expand oil export deal PKK disarmament could be completed within four months: Kurdish lawmaker Sudani, Erdogan discuss Ankara-PKK peace talks A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) should demonstrate that they are committed to the March agreement with Damascus regarding its integration into the interim government's security apparatus, Turkish state media cited Ankara's defense sources as saying. SDF chief Mazloum Abdi and Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa signed a landmark agreement on March 10 concerning the future of the SDF and the Kurdish-led administration in northeast Syria (Rojava). While parts of the agreement have already been implemented, key provisions - such as the integration of the US-backed SDF into Syrian state forces - continue to face significant obstacles. 'The SDF terrorist organization must concretely demonstrate that it is complying with the agreement it made with the Damascus government. Developments regarding this issue are being closely monitored together with our relevant institutions,' Turkish national defence sources told journalists during a weekly press briefing, reported Turkey's state-run TRT Haber on Wednesday. Ankara has endorsed the March 10 agreement but has repeatedly called on the SDF to abide by it. Middle East Eye reported on Monday that the US and Turkey have given the SDF a 30-day ultimatum to integrate into Damascus forces. However, the SDF denied the claim. An SDF spokesperson told the Saudi-based Asharq Al-Awsat on Tuesday that they do refuse to lay down arms for now. 'We can join the Syrian army through a constitutional and legal agreement that recognizes the specificity of our forces,' Abjar Dawoud said, adding that they refuse to 'surrender' weapons 'in light of the increase in the pace of violence' in southern Syria - where days of recent clashes left nearly 1,300 people dead, according to a war monitor. He stressed it is 'impossible' for the SDF to hand over its weapons while the Islamic State (ISIS) continues to pose a threat to northeast Syria. The SDF is the de facto army of Rojava.
Rudaw Net
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Turkey accuses Israel of trying to ‘divide Syria,' vows to intervene
Also in Middle East Iraq says Turkey ready to renew, expand oil export deal PKK disarmament could be completed within four months: Kurdish lawmaker Sudani, Erdogan discuss Ankara-PKK peace talks President Barzani plays key role in PKK peace talks, says veteran politician A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Turkey's foreign minister on Tuesday blasted Israel for attempting to 'divide Syria' and threatened to intervene in the country to prevent what he called a 'direct threat' to Ankara's national security. 'If the groups in Syria move towards division and destabilization, Turkey will consider it a direct threat to its national security and will intervene,' Hakan Fidan said in a joint presser with his El Salvadoran counterpart in Ankara. 'Israel, which does not want to see a stable country in the region, aims to divide Syria.' Fighting erupted in Syria's southern Druze-majority Suwayda province between Druze fighters and Bedouin tribes on June 13, leading to a regional crisis as Israel intervened in support of the Druze, striking several targets, including Syrian state forces and an airstrike on the defense ministry building in Damascus. 'Discuss anything you want, make whatever demands you have, Turkey is willing to assist, but if you go beyond that, we will not allow ourselves to remain under threat,' Fidan asserted. He further condemned Israel's regional policy as one that is aimed at 'weakening the region and keeping it in chaos.' At least 1,265 people have been killed in the violence in Suwayda, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. A Washington-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Syria was announced on Saturday by US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack, with the truce seemingly holding. The Druze are in control of the province while Syrian government forces are guarding the entrance to prevent Sunni fighters' entry in a bid to avoid further tensions. Three ceasefires between Damascus and the Druze fighters have failed since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in December. While Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa has pledged to form an 'inclusive transitional government that would reflect Syria's diversity,' he continues to face domestic and international criticism over his perceived marginalization of minority communities.
Rudaw Net
22-07-2025
- Business
- Rudaw Net
Iraq says Turkey ready to renew, expand oil export deal
Also in Middle East PKK disarmament could be completed within four months: Kurdish lawmaker Sudani, Erdogan discuss Ankara-PKK peace talks President Barzani plays key role in PKK peace talks, says veteran politician Turkey continues to strike PKK ahead of disarmament: Watchdog A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi oil ministry said late Monday that the Turkish government has officially expressed its willingness to renew the 1973 oil export agreement with Baghdad and expand it to other fields, a day after Ankara announced the end of the deal. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will not renew the 1973 Iraq-Turkey oil export agreement and the deal is set to be terminated in 2026, the country's official gazette announced on Monday. The agreement stipulates that the deal will be considered extended unless a termination note is sent by one of the parties one year before its expiration. The state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA) late Monday cited an official from the Iraqi oil ministry as saying that based on this Ankara has sent a letter to Baghdad 'expressing its desire to renew the agreement and attaching a draft of a new agreement for cooperation in the energy field that is more comprehensive than the previous agreement, as it included cooperation in the fields of oil, gas, petrochemical industries, and electricity in order to expand the horizons of cooperation between the two countries." The unnamed source added that both sides have been negotiating a new deal since July 2014, noting that the Iraqi oil ministry 'is in the process of reviewing the draft agreement sent by the Turkish side and negotiating with them about it to reach a formula that serves the interests of Iraq and Turkey." Turkey has confirmed sending the letter to Iraq. The agreement was first signed between the Turkish and Iraqi governments on August 27, 1973, and has been renewed repeatedly over the years, most recently in 2010. The Iraq-Turkey crude oil pipeline was built to transport crude oil from Kirkuk and other fields to the Turkish port of Ceyhan on the Mediterranean. The development comes amid renewed efforts by the Iraqi federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to resume long-stalled oil exports from the Kurdistan Region through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline. Oil exports from the Kurdistan Region through the pipeline have been halted since March 2023 when a Paris-based arbitration court ruled in favor of Baghdad against Ankara, saying the latter had violated the 1973 pipeline agreement by allowing Erbil to begin exporting oil independently in 2014.
Rudaw Net
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
PKK disarmament could be completed within four months: Kurdish lawmaker
Also in Middle East Sudani, Erdogan discuss Ankara-PKK peace talks President Barzani plays key role in PKK peace talks, says veteran politician Turkey continues to strike PKK ahead of disarmament: Watchdog France hails Iraq ties, stresses Kurdish inclusion in Syria's future A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The disarmament process of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) could be completed within four months if the Turkish government and all parties cooperate, a senior member of Turkey's pro-Kurdish party and part of the delegation involved in the peace process said. Mithat Sancar, Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) lawmaker and a member of the Imrali delegation that visited jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, told Rudaw on Friday that the recent 'historic' ceremony in Sulaimani province was a 'big step' in the right direction "This process has been ongoing for six or seven months, and now a big step has been taken," Sancar said. "Perhaps after another three to four months this issue will end,' he said. The PKK on Friday held a landmark ceremonial disarmament in Sulaimani province with 30 members and commanders - divided equally between men and women - burning their weapons before heading back to their hideouts. The decision to lay down arms was made following a call earlier this year by jailed leader Ocalan for the PKK to pursue politics instead of armed conflict. Sancar emphasized that new "peace laws" and integration measures will be needed to allow former fighters to re-enter civilian life and participate in democratic politics. He added that a parliamentary commission is expected to be formed within a week to prepare these proposals. While local leaders and the PKK have taken steps toward de-escalation, Sancar stressed that the Turkish state also needs to act. "This shouldn't be prolonged," he said. "A plan needs to be made, a mechanism established, and laws need to be passed." He noted that the decision to burn the weapons rather than surrender them was deeply symbolic. "They say, 'We are laying down arms by our own will … and we want peace, we want a democratic solution.'" Sancar, who visited Ocalan on Imrali island as part of the delegation, said the PKK leader appeared in good health and remained "prepared for this process," as he continues to draft ideas for politics and society and has called for broader engagement, including visits by journalists, academics, and politicians. The PKK, established in 1978, initially sought Kurdish independence before shifting its focus to securing political and cultural rights for Kurds in Turkey. It is designated as a terrorist organization by Ankara and its Western allies. Hevidar Zana contributed to this report.
Rudaw Net
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Erdogan says parliamentary commission ‘first step' in PKK peace talks
Also in Turkey Turkey's ruling party calls for dissolution of PKK affiliates Turkey's ultra-nationalist leader hails 'historic' PKK disarmament PKK says peace process cannot proceed unilaterally PKK disarmament ceremony to proceed without live broadcast: DEM Party A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday said that the formation of a parliamentary commission will be a 'first step' in peace talks between Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a day after the Kurdish group held a historic disarmament ceremony. 'The problem of terror that has been lingering in our nation for 47 years has, God willing, entered the process of ending,' Erdogan said at a meeting of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). 'The wall of terror is being obliterated.' He accused previous Turkish governments of having oppressed Kurds instead of focusing on trying to end the PKK's armed struggle and said that a parliamentary commission will be formed as a 'first step' to resolving the conflict. The PKK on Friday held a ceremonial disarmament in the Kurdistan Region's Sulaimani province. Thirty fighters and commanders - divided equally between men and women - burned their weapons in a gesture of goodwill before heading back to their mountain hideouts. The disarmament was a major step towards ending decades of a conflict that has spilled out of Turkey's borders and into the Kurdistan Region and Syria. 'In recent years, we almost put an end to the maneuverability and the operational capacity of the terrorist organization… thanks to our cross-border operations in Iraq and the revolution in Syria on December 8,' Erdogan stated. The PKK was founded in 1978 in response to discrimination against Turkey's Kurdish population. The party launched its armed struggle several years later. Erdogan admitted that Ankara had relied on 'wrong policies' in dealing with the PKK. 'We paid a huge price for wrong policies. We did not only lose civilians and security forces as martyrs, but the Republic of Turkey has been destabilized by the terror attacks,' Erdogan said, adding that some 10,000 members of security forces have been killed in the conflict. In his speech, he also thanked his party, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), and the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) for their efforts, saying that they will collectively 'cherish' the Ankara-PKK peace process. DEM Party has mediated talks between the PKK and Ankara after MHP leader Devlet Bahceli in October invited PKK founder Abdullah Ocalan to address the parliament. In February, Ocalan, who has been in jail since 1999, called on the PKK to lay down arms and pursue a political path to securing Kurdish rights in Turkey. In a video message released Wednesday, Ocalan reaffirmed the PKK's historic departure from armed conflict and called for the formation of a parliamentary commission to guide the peace process.
