Kurdish Militants Burn Weapons as Peace Process Begins

On Friday, thirty members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) set fire to their weapons near a cave in northern Iraq, marking what may become the beginning of a long-awaited end to the group’s armed campaign against Turkey.

During a symbolic ceremony, male and female fighters lined up to drop AK-47 rifles, bullet belts, and other arms into a large metal container, which was later set ablaze. As flames rose, officials from Kurdish, Iraqi, and Turkish sides observed from a short distance.

The PKK, labeled illegal in Turkey since 1984, announced in May that it would begin disbanding and giving up arms following a call by its imprisoned founder, Abdullah Ocalan, to abandon the decades-long armed struggle for Kurdish independence.

Following years of stalled negotiations, this new move offers a renewed chance for Turkey to resolve a conflict that has claimed more than 40,000 lives, impacted the economy, and caused deep societal rifts both nationally and regionally.

The event took place at the entrance of Jasana cave in Dukan, a town located roughly 60 kilometers northwest of Sulaymaniyah, within Iraq’s northern Kurdish region.

PKK fighters, dressed in matching tan uniforms, stood under the supervision of four commanders. Among them was senior figure Bese Hozat, who delivered a message in Turkish outlining the decision to lay down arms.

“We voluntarily destroy our weapons, in your presence, as a step of goodwill and determination,” she said, followed by a Kurdish version of the statement read by another commander.

Helicopters circled above the rugged landscape while Iraqi Kurdish security personnel secured the area on the ground, according to an observer at the scene.

Attendees included members of Turkish and Iraqi intelligence, officials from Iraq’s Kurdish regional authority, and senior figures from Turkey’s pro-Kurdish DEM party—which has played a central role this year in advancing the PKK’s demilitarization.

It remains uncertain when future disarmament phases will occur.

A Turkish official described the handover as an “irreversible turning point” in the peace effort. Another government insider noted that upcoming plans include reintegrating former PKK members into Turkish society and launching reconciliation efforts in affected communities.

Broader Regional Effects

The PKK moved its base of operations into Iraq’s mountainous north after Turkish forces pushed them out of the country’s southeastern region. Turkey has frequently targeted PKK outposts there and maintains military positions in the area.

Ending hostilities between Turkey and the PKK could influence dynamics in Syria as well—where Kurdish forces, who are aligned with the United States, are viewed by Turkey as extensions of the PKK. As Syria reshapes its security structure after the collapse of its former leadership in December, the PKK’s disarmament may increase the pressure on Syrian Kurds to integrate quickly.

Ocalan, the DEM party, and the PKK have all called on the Turkish government to recognize Kurdish civil rights, especially in southeastern regions that have seen the brunt of the fighting.

In a rare video address released earlier this week, Ocalan—whose image was prominently displayed during the disarmament ceremony—called on Turkey’s parliament to establish a body to monitor the peace and disarmament process.

Initial steps are being taken by Ankara toward creating such a commission. DEM leaders and Ocalan emphasized the need for legal protections and institutional mechanisms to assist in transitioning the PKK from militancy into mainstream politics.

Omer Celik, spokesperson for Turkey’s ruling AK Party, described the ceremony as an initial phase in achieving a “terror-free Turkey,” noting that the process must move swiftly.

President Erdogan has stated that this demilitarization will allow for reconstruction in the country’s southeastern region.

According to Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek, Turkey has spent nearly $1.8 trillion fighting terrorism over the last fifty years.