Monday, 25 May 2026
Kurdish PKK begins disarmament process in Iraq
SULAYMANIYAH – Dozens of militants from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) began surrendering their weapons on Friday during a ceremony held inside a cave in northern Iraq, according to officials. This event marks a symbolic yet pivotal move towards ending the PKK’s decades-long insurgency against Türkiye.
A Reuters eyewitness reported that helicopters circled above the mountain as the disarmament unfolded, with Iraqi Kurdish security forces heavily guarding the area, Reuters reported.
The PKK, which has been outlawed and locked in conflict with the Turkish state since 1984, announced in May its intention to dissolve, disarm, and abandon its separatist campaign, following a public appeal by its imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan.
After numerous failed attempts at peace, this latest initiative holds promise for finally resolving a conflict that has claimed over 40,000 lives, hindered Türkiye’s economy, and created deep social and political rifts both within the country and across the region.
The ceremony took place within the Jasana cave, located in the town of Dukan, approximately 60 kilometers (37 miles) northwest of Sulaymaniyah in northern Iraq’s Kurdistan region, according to sources from the Iraqi security forces and the regional government.
Roughly 40 PKK fighters and a commander were expected to hand over their arms, insiders familiar with the proceedings noted. The timing of further disarmament actions remains uncertain.
The PKK has been operating from northern Iraq after being driven far beyond Türkiye’s southeastern border in recent years. The Turkish military has routinely conducted operations and airstrikes against PKK positions in the area and has established several outposts there.
Türkiye’s Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek estimated that nearly $1.8 trillion has been spent over the last five decades combating terrorism, calling the peace initiative a potential boon for the economy.
The conclusion of NATO-member Türkiye’s conflict with the PKK could reverberate throughout the region, including in neighboring Syria, where the United States supports Syrian Kurdish forces regarded by Ankara as an extension of the PKK.
Both Washington and Ankara are urging these Kurdish groups to swiftly integrate into Syria’s evolving security structure, which has been subject to changes since the December ouster of President Bashar al-Assad. According to analysts, the PKK’s disarmament could intensify this momentum.