Latest news with #Öcalan
LeMonde
11-07-2025
- Politics
- LeMonde
Thirty PKK fighters surrender arms in symbolic step toward peace with Turkey
Thirty PKK fighters destroyed their weapons at a symbolic ceremony in Iraqi Kurdistan on Friday, July 11, two months after the Kurdish rebels ended their decades-long armed struggle against the Turkish state. The ceremony marked a major step in the transition of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) from armed insurgency to democratic politics, as part of a broader effort to bring an end to one of the region's longest-running conflicts. The PKK's disarmament also grants President Recep Tayyip Erdogan the distinction of being the Turkish leader who managed to draw a line under a bloody conflict that cost more than 40,000 lives and wrought havoc in Turkey and beyond. Outside the ancient cave of Casene, a group of 30 PKK fighters, men and women, gathered on a stage in khaki fatigues, their faces uncovered, in front of an audience of around 300 people, an Agence France-Presse (AFP) correspondent at the scene said. One by one, they walked down to lay their weapons in a cauldron in which a fire was lit. Most were rifles, but there was one machine gun and a rocket-propelled grenade launcher. As they looked on, people in the crowd started cheering while others could be heard weeping. After the ceremony, the fighters returned to the mountains, a PKK commander said. 'Öcalan's freedom essential' Speaking to AFP after the ceremony, the PKK's top female commander Bese Hozat said that for the process to succeed, it was essential to release Abdullah Öcalan – known to his followers as "Apo" – who has been serving life in solitary confinement since 1999. "Ensuring Leader Apo's physical freedom via legal guarantees, is essential... he should be able to freely lead and manage this process. This is our primary condition and demand," she said. "Without this development, it is highly unlikely that the process will continue successfully." Erdogan hailed the ceremony as an "important step" on the path to a "terror-free Turkey," expressing hope it would lead to "the establishment of lasting peace in our region." And a senior Turkish official source described it as a "concrete and welcome step." The following steps would involve the legal reintegration of former fighters into society, the establishment of mechanisms for their lawful return and for justice, ensuring accountability and stability. PKK militants have insisted on the need for legal reform in Turkey to allow them to return home freely and engage in democratic politics, Commander Hozat told AFP. "If Turkey… enacts laws and implements radical legal reforms… we will go to Turkey and engage in politics," she said. "If there is no legal constitutional arrangements, we will either end up in prison or being killed." The ceremony followed months of indirect negotiations between Öcalan and Ankara that began in October with Erdogan's blessing, and were facilitated by Turkey's pro-Kurdish DEM party. The PKK took up arms in 1984, beginning a string of bloody attacks on Turkish soil that sparked a conflict that cost more than 40,000 lives. But more than four decades on, the PKK in May announced its dissolution, saying it would pursue a democratic struggle to defend the rights of the Kurdish minority in line with a historic call by Öcalan, who, at 76, has spent the past 26 years behind bars.
Boston Globe
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Kurdish separatist fighters in Iraq begin laying down weapons as part of peace process with Turkey
In Turkey, Devlet Bahceli, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's nationalist ally who initiated the peace process, welcomed the development. Advertisement 'Starting today, members of the separatist terrorist organization 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 hardline stance against the PKK, had surprised everyone in October when he suggested in parliament that Öcalan could be granted parole if he renounced violence and disbanded the PKK. 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. Advertisement 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. Journalists were not allowed at the site of Friday's ceremony. An Iraqi Kurdish political official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly, said that about 30 fighters took part in the ceremony, which took place 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. PKK officials previously said that in order to continue the disarmament process, they want to see Turkey take steps to end 'the regime of isolation' imposed on Öcalan in prison and to allow integration of former militants into the political system. Associated Press writers Abby Sewell in Beirut and Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, contributed to this report.
Euronews
11-07-2025
- 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.
Nahar Net
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Nahar Net
Kurdish PKK fighters destroy weapons at key ceremony
by Naharnet Newsdesk 11 July 2025, 13:08 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. Öcalan renewed his call in a video message broadcast Wednesday, saying, "I believe in the power of politics and social peace, not weapons." In Turkey, Devlet Bahceli, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's nationalist ally who initiated the peace process, welcomed the development. "Starting today, members of the separatist terrorist organization 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 hardline stance against the PKK, had surprised everyone in October when he suggested in parliament that Öcalan could be granted parole if he renounced violence and disbanded the PKK. 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. Journalists were not allowed at the site of Friday's ceremony. An Iraqi Kurdish political official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly, said that about 30 fighters took part in the ceremony, which took place 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. PKK officials previously said that in order to continue the disarmament process, they want to see Turkey take steps to end "the regime of isolation" imposed on Öcalan in prison and to allow integration of former militants into the political system.
11-07-2025
- Politics
Kurdish separatist fighters in Iraq begin laying down weapons as part of peace deal
SULAYMANIYAH, Iraq -- 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. Öcalan renewed his call in a video message broadcast Wednesday, saying, 'I believe in the power of politics and social peace, not weapons.' In Turkey, Devlet Bahceli, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's nationalist ally who initiated the peace process, welcomed the development. 'Starting today, members of the separatist terrorist organization 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 hardline stance against the PKK, had surprised everyone in October when he suggested in parliament that Öcalan could be granted parole if he renounced violence and disbanded the PKK. 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. Journalists were not allowed at the site of Friday's ceremony. An Iraqi Kurdish political official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly, said that about 30 fighters took part in the ceremony, which took place 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. PKK officials previously said that in order to continue the disarmament process, they want to see Turkey take steps to end 'the regime of isolation' imposed on Öcalan in prison and to allow integration of former militants into the political system.
