PKK Fighters to Destroy Weapons as Symbolic Step Toward Disarmament

By Dler Mohammed

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Commanders from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) announced that a group of fighters will soon destroy their weapons in a public ceremony as a "goodwill gesture" to demonstrate their commitment to ending decades of armed struggle against Turkey, according to AFP.

The planned disarmament represents a significant shift in the PKK’s evolution from armed insurgency toward political negotiation, as part of a broader push to end one of the longest and bloodiest conflicts in the region. The PKK officially declared an end to its armed campaign in May — a conflict that began in 1984 and has claimed over 40,000 lives, while severely straining Turkey’s relations with its Kurdish population and regional neighbors.

“As a gesture of goodwill, a number of PKK fighters, who had taken part in fighting Turkish forces in recent years, will destroy or burn their weapons in a ceremony in the coming days,” one commander told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the press. The move was confirmed by a second PKK commander under similar conditions of anonymity.

The upcoming disarmament ceremony will be held in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and will be attended by political representatives, local observers, and members of the media, the commanders told AFP. However, the exact number of male and female fighters involved, along with the time and location, have not yet been finalized.

The PKK, designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union, was involved in decades-long fighting against the Turkish government. The group’s recent declaration of dissolution on May 12 came after a historic ceasefire and was reportedly inspired by a letter from its imprisoned founder, Abdullah Ocalan. Held in solitary confinement since 1999 on Imrali Island near Istanbul, Ocalan’s influence remains central to the movement's direction.

According to AFP, a new message from Ocalan is expected to be released soon. Meanwhile, a delegation from Turkey’s pro-Kurdish DEM Party, which has facilitated dialogue between Ocalan and the Turkish government, is expected to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan next week before seeking permission to visit Ocalan in prison.

For over a decade, most PKK fighters have been based in the mountainous areas of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, where Turkey continues to conduct military operations and maintains a network of bases targeting the PKK fighters.

While the mechanisms of the PKK’s formal dissolution and disarmament remain unclear, Turkish authorities have said they will closely monitor the process to ensure it is fully implemented.