In a historic turning point after four decades of conflict, the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has begun laying down its arms, signaling what could be the beginning of the end to one of the most entrenched armed struggles in the Middle East.
At a solemn ceremony held near Jasana cave, a well-known site 50km northwest of Suleymaniyah in Iraqi Kurdistan, about 30 PKK fighters—men and women—placed their weapons in a cauldron and set them alight. Among them were four high-ranking commanders. The act, described as the “first step” of a summer-long disarmament process, was witnessed by journalists and politicians, including representatives of Turkey’s pro-Kurdish DEM party.
“We voluntarily destroy our weapons, before your presence, as a step of goodwill and determination,” the group said in a statement. “This is a historic, democratic step.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called the event “an important step towards our goal of a terror-free Turkey,” underscoring the government’s belief that the armed phase of the Kurdish struggle may be ending.
More than 40,000 people have died since the PKK took up arms in 1984, seeking first independence and later autonomy for Kurds, who make up around 20% of Turkey’s population. The group is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., the EU, and the UK.
Central to this dramatic shift is PKK founder Abdullah Ocalan, who has been held in solitary confinement on Turkey’s Imrali Island since 1999. Earlier this week, Ocalan issued a statement calling for “a voluntary transition from the phase of armed conflict to the phase of democratic politics and law.”
Two days before the symbolic disarmament, Ocalan made a rare video appearance—the first in over two decades—calling on PKK fighters to abandon armed struggle.
“I believe in the power of politics and social peace, not weapons,” Ocalan said. “And I call on you to put this principle into practice.” Wearing a beige Lacoste polo shirt, Ocalan’s appearance triggered a viral sensation online, underlining his enduring symbolic importance among many Kurds.
Ocalan’s call echoed a message he sent in February via two DEM party lawmakers who visited him on Imrali. In the letter, he stated: “All groups must lay their arms and the PKK must dissolve itself,” calling this moment “an opportunity created by recent positive signals from the Turkish state.”
This is not the first attempt at peace. A ceasefire was declared in 2013, and the 2015 Dolmabahce Agreement aimed to grant Kurdish language and democratic rights. But the fragile peace collapsed, giving way to renewed violence—especially in Turkey’s southeast—and air raids on PKK positions in northern Iraq and Kurdish-controlled areas in Syria.
The latest initiative gained momentum in October 2024, when Devlet Bahçeli, a prominent nationalist and Erdoğan ally, called for “a terror-free Turkey” and encouraged Ocalan to initiate disbandment of the PKK. Talks resumed between Ankara and Ocalan, facilitated through DEM party channels.
In April, President Erdoğan met with pro-Kurdish politicians for the first time in years. He called the moment “an opportunity to tear down the wall of terror,” suggesting he is invested in moving the process forward.
The implications of PKK disarmament extend far beyond Turkey. The group has networks in Iraq, Syria, and Iran. Its disarmament could help reshape regional security and allow for deeper political engagement with Kurdish groups across borders.
However, the road ahead is uncertain. Turkey’s parliament will set up a commission to decide next steps, but with the summer recess near, substantial decisions are not expected until the fall. What becomes of Ocalan remains a key question—government officials have hinted that his prison conditions could be reviewed, but any talk of release is off the table for now.
For many Kurds, Ocalan remains a deeply influential figure. “He is a main symbol for many Kurds, not all,” said Joost Jongerden, a specialist on the conflict from Wageningen University in the Netherlands. “He still has this authority.”
While skepticism remains, many observers believe this is the strongest chance yet for a sustainable peace.
“The PKK says its historic mission is complete. That opens a door, but everything depends on whether the political process now replaces the military one,” said a Turkish official familiar with the negotiations.
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