Latest news with #Celik
Iraqi News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Iraqi News
PKK disarmament expected to take months to complete
Baghdad ( – The spokesperson for Turkey's Justice and Development Party, Omer Celik, said on Wednesday that the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in northern Iraq is expected to give up its weapons within a few months following its decision to dissolve. In a statement to NTV, a Turkish news channel, Celik explained that the arms handover process will be overseen by a confirmation mechanism comprised of Turkish intelligence and military forces officers, according to Reuters. The disarmament process in Iraq must be finished within three to five months. If it surpasses this time frame, it will become vulnerable to provocations, according to Celik. Last week, the PKK declared that its fighters in northern Iraq will begin giving over their weapons. According to a statement released by the PKK, a group of militants will leave the mountains and surrender their weapons in an attempt to demonstrate their support for democratic politics and peace. The statement mentioned that a ceremony scheduled between July 10 and 12 in the city of Sulaymaniyah in the Kurdistan region of Iraq will mark the first tangible step toward disarmament. The PKK announced a ceasefire with Turkey earlier in 2025 in response to a call from its leader, Abdullah Ocalan, who is presently serving a life sentence, to dismantle and disarm the organization. Turkey, the United States, and the European Union have all designated the PKK, which has fought for decades, as a terrorist group. The party's decision to disband is an important milestone in regional geopolitics and could ease long-standing tensions, notably in Iraq's Kurdistan region, where PKK members remain.
The Sun
02-07-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
PKK disarmament may begin in days, says Turkey's AK Party
ANKARA/BAGHDAD: The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) could start handing over its weapons within days, a spokesman for Turkey's ruling AK Party said on Tuesday, the clearest sign yet that efforts to secure the outlawed group's disarmament may be nearing a breakthrough. Asked by reporters whether there was a timeline for the PKK militants to lay down their arms, spokesman Omer Celik said: 'I don't want to give a definite timeline at this stage. (...) Now we've reached a stage where it could happen in a matter of days.' Celik added that the coming days would be 'extremely important for a Turkey free of terrorism'. The PKK, which has been locked in a bloody conflict with the Turkish state for more than four decades, decided in May to disband and end its armed struggle. Two PKK sources based in northern Iraq confirmed that a small group of fighters was expected to hand over their weapons at a location in the Iraqi Kurdish city of Sulaimaniya in the 'coming days'. 'Preparations for the handover are underway in coordination with Kurdish security authorities in Sulaimaniya,' one of the PKK sources told Reuters. A Kurdish security official in Sulaimaniya, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said the handover event would be overseen by security officials from the central government in Baghdad. 'If everything goes according to plan, the PKK weapons handover will take place next week,' said the Kurdish security official. The second PKK source said: 'The disarmament ceremony will serve as a goodwill gesture aimed at building confidence and paving the way for the Turkish government to take further steps and fulfil its obligations toward lasting peace.' Separately, Turkey's Intelligence Chief Ibrahim Kalin visited Iraq's Erbil on Tuesday to discuss steps to be taken to end terrorism in the region, according to a statement by the intelligence agency. Kalin met with Iraqi Kurdish Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, Iraqi Kurdistan President Nechirvan Barzani and the leader of KDP Masoud Barzani and other high level leaders during his visit. Since the PKK launched its insurgency against Turkey in 1984 - originally with the aim of creating an independent Kurdish state - the conflict has killed more than 40,000 people, imposed a huge economic burden and fuelled social tensions. The PKK's decision to disarm could boost NATO member Turkey's political and economic stability and encourage moves to ease tensions in neighbouring Iraq and Syria, where Kurdish forces are allied with U.S. forces.
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Turkey says PKK disarmament could start within days, says AK Party spokesman
ANKARA/BAGHDAD (Reuters) -The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) could start handing over its weapons within days, a spokesman for Turkey's ruling AK Party said on Tuesday, the clearest sign yet that efforts to secure the outlawed group's disarmament may be nearing a breakthrough. Asked by reporters whether there was a timeline for the PKK militants to lay down their arms, spokesman Omer Celik said: "I don't want to give a definite timeline at this stage. (...) Now we've reached a stage where it could happen in a matter of days." Celik added that the coming days would be "extremely important for a Turkey free of terrorism". The PKK, which has been locked in a bloody conflict with the Turkish state for more than four decades, decided in May to disband and end its armed struggle. Two PKK sources based in northern Iraq confirmed that a small group of fighters was expected to hand over their weapons at a location in the Iraqi Kurdish city of Sulaimaniya in the "coming days". "Preparations for the handover are underway in coordination with Kurdish security authorities in Sulaimaniya," one of the PKK sources told Reuters. A Kurdish security official in Sulaimaniya, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said the handover event would be overseen by security officials from the central government in Baghdad. "If everything goes according to plan, the PKK weapons handover will take place next week," said the Kurdish security official. The second PKK source said: "The disarmament ceremony will serve as a goodwill gesture aimed at building confidence and paving the way for the Turkish government to take further steps and fulfil its obligations toward lasting peace." Separately, Turkey's Intelligence Chief Ibrahim Kalin visited Iraq's Erbil on Tuesday to discuss steps to be taken to end terrorism in the region, according to a statement by the intelligence agency. Kalin met with Iraqi Kurdish Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, Iraqi Kurdistan President Nechirvan Barzani and the leader of KDP Masoud Barzani and other high level leaders during his visit. Since the PKK launched its insurgency against Turkey in 1984 - originally with the aim of creating an independent Kurdish state - the conflict has killed more than 40,000 people, imposed a huge economic burden and fuelled social tensions. The PKK's decision to disarm could boost NATO member Turkey's political and economic stability and encourage moves to ease tensions in neighbouring Iraq and Syria, where Kurdish forces are allied with U.S. forces.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bosnia's women rugby pioneers target Olympic qualification
By Amel Emric ZENICA, Bosnia (Reuters) -Erna Huseinovic fell in love with rugby after coaching young children at a local club in the central town of Zenica, the home of Bosnia's first women's rugby sevens team. A speedy winger, Huseinovic is preparing with her teammates for their first international competition in Croatia in September. "I found in rugby something that I did not find in other sports," said Huseinovic, a 25-year-old student at the Zenica faculty for sports. "The goal of my team is to achieve success in regional competitions and qualify for the 2032 Olympic Games," she said. Rugby has been played for 50 years in Zenica, and Celik, regular winners of rugby championships in the former Yugoslavia, established the first women's team last year after a previous attempt had failed during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Our goal is to form women's teams in several cities across Bosnia so they can compete in domestic and international competitions," said Mirza Oruc, a vice-president of Bosnia's rugby association and coach of the national women's team. "We want to compete in rugby sevens and qualify for the Brisbane Olympic Games," Oruc told Reuters, adding that sevens was a version of rugby helping to break stereotypes about the tough sport being exclusively for men. Sara Hadzic, 25, heard about rugby at Zenica university, where she studies German language and literature. "I wanted to try something new and different, to meet new girlfriends," said Hadzic, who did karate as a child. "I am playing now recreationally but I might go professional in the future." The mothers of several children training at the Celik club decided to try out the sports themselves. "Rugby is love, friendship, socializing, family," said Brankica Sekerovic. "I have come to the club as a supporter during tournaments and met some wonderful mums ... and then came a love for rugby."
Straits Times
06-06-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Bosnia's women rugby pioneers target Olympic qualification
Members of female section of the rugby club Celik practice with the ball during a training with the hope that they will soon be ready to compete in regional and international competitions, with the ultimate goal of participating in the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, June 4, 2025. REUTERS/Amel Emric Members of female section of the rugby club Celik run with the ball during training with the hope that they will soon be ready to compete in regional and international competitions, with the ultimate goal of participating in the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, June 4, 2025. REUTERS/Amel Emric Members of female section of the rugby club Celik practice with the ball during a training with the hope that they will soon be ready to compete in regional and international competitions, with the ultimate goal of participating in the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, June 4, 2025. REUTERS/Amel Emric Members of female section of the rugby club Celik practice with the ball during a training with the hope that they will soon be ready to compete in regional and international competitions, with the ultimate goal of participating in the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, June 4, 2025. REUTERS/Amel Emric Members of female section of the rugby club Celik prepare for training with the hope that they will soon be ready to compete in regional and international competitions, with the ultimate goal of participating in the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, June 4, 2025. REUTERS/Amel Emric ZENICA, Bosnia - Erna Huseinovic fell in love with rugby after coaching young children at a local club in the central town of Zenica, the home of Bosnia's first women's rugby sevens team. A speedy winger, Huseinovic is preparing with her teammates for their first international competition in Croatia in September. "I found in rugby something that I did not find in other sports," said Huseinovic, a 25-year-old student at the Zenica faculty for sports. "The goal of my team is to achieve success in regional competitions and qualify for the 2032 Olympic Games," she said. Rugby has been played for 50 years in Zenica, and Celik, regular winners of rugby championships in the former Yugoslavia, established the first women's team last year after a previous attempt had failed during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Our goal is to form women's teams in several cities across Bosnia so they can compete in domestic and international competitions," said Mirza Oruc, a vice-president of Bosnia's rugby association and coach of the national women's team. "We want to compete in rugby sevens and qualify for the Brisbane Olympic Games," Oruc told Reuters, adding that sevens was a version of rugby helping to break stereotypes about the tough sport being exclusively for men. Sara Hadzic, 25, heard about rugby at Zenica university, where she studies German language and literature. "I wanted to try something new and different, to meet new girlfriends," said Hadzic, who did karate as a child. "I am playing now recreationally but I might go professional in the future." The mothers of several children training at the Celik club decided to try out the sports themselves. "Rugby is love, friendship, socializing, family," said Brankica Sekerovic. "I have come to the club as a supporter during tournaments and met some wonderful mums ... and then came a love for rugby." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
