PKK says withdrawing all forces from Turkey to northern Iraq

The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) said on Sunday that it is withdrawing its fighters from Turkey to northern Iraq, urging Ankara to take legal steps to protect the peace process.

The PKK, which began its armed struggle against the Turkish state in 1984, decided in May to lay down arms following an appeal from its imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan, to end the conflict. The decades-long fighting has claimed over 40,000 lives.

In a symbolic gesture in July, the PKK destroyed some of its weapons, signalling its commitment to peace. During a ceremony in its Qandil Mountains stronghold in northern Iraq, the group announced its full withdrawal from Turkey, saying it sought to build the foundation for a “free, democratic and fraternal” future.

The PKK said the move reflected its dedication to disarmament and integration, calling on the Turkish government to enact laws that would enable its transition into legitimate political participation.

PKK spokesperson Zagros Hiwa told Reuters that the withdrawal was part of implementing Ocalan’s peace plan, adding that Turkey now needed to introduce political changes to support the process.

Omer Celik, spokesperson for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling AK Party, wrote on X that the PKK’s decision was a tangible outcome of the government’s goal for a “terror-free Turkey”.

He said it would contribute to a “positive framework” that a parliamentary commission will develop to handle the legal aspects of the process.

After being pushed out of southeastern Turkey, the PKK has operated primarily from bases in northern Iraq, where it faced frequent Turkish military strikes and the establishment of Turkish outposts.

A resolution to the long-running conflict between Turkey and the PKK could have broader regional implications, particularly in Syria, where the US supports Kurdish forces that Ankara views as linked to the PKK.