Erdoğan Vows 'Terror-Free Türkiye' and 'Terror-Free Region' Following PKK Withdrawal

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – In his most detailed and forward-looking comments since the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) announced its historic withdrawal of all armed forces from Turkish territory, the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Saturday declared a bold new vision for the nation and the wider region, vowing to usher in a "new era" of peace and brotherhood built upon the foundation of a "terror-free Türkiye" and, ultimately, a "terror-free region." 

Speaking at a public event in Istanbul, the Turkish President framed the PKK's withdrawal as a significant and positive step in the government-led peace process, confirmed that his administration is meticulously monitoring the developments on the ground, and revealed that he had held an "extremely constructive, productive, and hopeful" meeting with leaders of the pro-Kurdish DEM Party, signaling a potential acceleration of the political track in the delicate and complex initiative to end the four-decade conflict.

Erdoğan's speech, delivered at the opening program of the Atatürk Airport Nation's Garden, was a carefully calibrated message of resolve, cautious optimism, and national unity. 

As reported by the state-run TRT Haber, he cast the ongoing "Terror-free Türkiye" process, which his People's Alliance government started a year ago, as a resounding success that has been managed with sensitivity and care.

"As the People's Alliance, we have made significant progress in a short time," he stated. "We did not get carried away by provocations. We took into account the sensitivities of all segments of society, especially the relatives of martyrs and our veterans. In particular, we were careful not to destroy one side while building the other. We have successfully brought the process to this day without any mishaps."

The Turkish President directly addressed the momentous announcement made just days earlier by the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), the umbrella organization that includes the PKK. "The defunct terror organization recently announced that it is withdrawing its armed elements from our country and moving away from the border line," Erdoğan confirmed.

He sought to reassure the public that this development was being handled with the utmost seriousness and vigilance. "Our relevant units are following the developments on the ground moment by moment, meticulously. We value every positive step taken on the path to the goal."

This statement marks a significant official acknowledgment and cautious endorsement of a move that has the potential to fundamentally reshape the security landscape of the region. As previously reported by Kurdistan24, the KCK's announcement on Sunday, Oct. 26, represented the most significant "practical step" yet in a delicate and carefully choreographed peace process set in motion by the PKK's imprisoned leader, Abdullah Öcalan. 

The decision to withdraw all forces from Turkish soil was framed by the KCK as a direct implementation of Öcalan's directives, aimed at bringing the process of "peace and a democratic society to the second stage." The withdrawal, while a demonstration of the KCK's commitment, was explicitly linked to a demand for the Turkish state to reciprocate by immediately enacting "laws related to necessary freedom and democratic integration" to allow for a transition to democratic politics.

Erdoğan, in his speech, signaled that the political and legislative track of this process is indeed active and moving forward. He confirmed that the special parliamentary commission established to manage the legal dimensions of the peace process "continues its work intensively," noting that his Ministers of Justice and Foreign Affairs had just briefed the commission on Thursday.

In what is perhaps the most significant revelation from his speech, the Turkish President confirmed a direct and high-level engagement with the political representatives of the Kurdish movement.

"We also received the DEM Party delegation at our presidential complex," Erdoğan announced. He characterized the outcome in strikingly positive terms. "We had an extremely constructive, productive, and hopeful meeting with them about the future. God willing, we will see the reflections of this meeting in the coming days."

This meeting, coming so soon after the PKK's withdrawal announcement, suggests that the political and military tracks of the peace process are running in parallel, and that the government is actively engaging with the DEM Party as a key interlocutor.

Erdoğan's vision, however, extends far beyond the immediate goal of ending the conflict within Türkiye's borders. He articulated a broader, more ambitious strategic objective.

"We will definitely start a new era where the sacrifices our nation has paid are not in vain, and where peace, security, tranquility, and brotherhood prevail not only within our borders but also beyond our borders," he declared. "We are determined to the end in this. First, we will achieve a terror-free Türkiye, and then, God willing, a terror-free region."

This statement is likely to be interpreted with keen interest in neighboring Iraq and Syria, where the implications of the PKK's withdrawal and Türkiye's evolving security posture are of paramount concern.

The Turkish President also used his speech to rally his political base and warn against what he described as efforts to sabotage the peace process. He acknowledged that "as we get closer to the goal, both our burden gets heavier and the efforts to sabotage the process intensify."

He singled out "circles that do not want Türkiye to solve its half-century-old issue," and specifically named the "FETÖ scoundrels"—a reference to the followers of Fethullah Gülen, whom his government blames for the 2016 coup attempt—as having "accelerated their operations" to create anxiety and manipulate public opinion.

He asserted that their "biggest goal is to disrupt the unity, togetherness, and coherence of the People's Alliance," but vowed, "they will not succeed."

The entire peace initiative, as reported by Kurdistan24, has been a meticulously staged process.

It gained irreversible momentum on February 27, 2025, when Öcalan, from his prison cell on İmralı Island, issued a pivotal appeal for his followers to end their armed campaign. This was followed by the PKK's 12th Congress in May, where the group formally announced an end to its armed struggle, and a symbolic disarmament ceremony in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq in July, where a group of fighters, including senior commanders, publicly burned their weapons.

Erdoğan's previous declaration of a "historic victory" following that disarmament ceremony had framed the developments as the result of his government's steadfast security policies, not a negotiated settlement.

However, his establishment of the parliamentary commission and his recent "constructive" meeting with the DEM Party indicate a clear recognition that a lasting solution requires a political, as well as a security, dimension.

This aligns with the vision articulated by Öcalan himself, who, in a message on October 4, called for the "new century of the Republic of Türkiye" to be founded upon "the law of peace and democracy," and for "negotiating democracy" to be the essential mechanism for resolving the nation's most deeply rooted problems.

As Turkish President concluded his speech with a powerful call for national unity—"We will be one, we will be together, we will be great, we will be strong, we will all be Türkiye together"—he left the nation and the world with a clear, if challenging, roadmap.

The path to a "terror-free Türkiye" and a "terror-free region" is, in his vision, a process that will be pursued with a "sensitive, constructive, and inclusive approach."

As the PKK's armed elements continue their withdrawal and the political dialogue in Ankara deepens, all eyes are now on the Turkish government to see if it will indeed lay the legal and political cornerstone for the enduring peace that has, for so long, seemed just out of reach.