Turkish Minister Says 219 PKK Members 'Surrendered' Under Peace Process

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi said 219 members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) have surrendered to Turkish authorities over the past year, describing the figure as evidence of continued progress in the government's "Türkiye Without Terrorism" initiative and its broader efforts to reduce decades of armed conflict.

Speaking during a televised interview, Çiftçi said the surrenders followed a combination of dialogue and persuasion initiatives pursued by Turkish authorities.

According to the minister, the returns have taken place since May 12, 2025, after PKK-affiliated groups announced they were laying down their arms, a development Ankara has portrayed as a significant stage in the ongoing process.

The interior minister said the improved security environment has prompted authorities to reassess security measures in several areas that were once heavily affected by conflict.

As part of that effort, he said his ministry had ordered the removal of checkpoints deemed no longer necessary, including one in the southeastern district of Şemdinli.

Çiftçi stressed that the decision was based solely on domestic security assessments and was unrelated to NATO or any external considerations. He said the objective was to facilitate easier movement for residents while maintaining public safety.

The minister also argued that changing security conditions have created new opportunities for economic activity and public life in southeastern Türkiye.

According to Çiftçi, areas that once faced significant security challenges are now hosting cultural festivals, sporting events and tourism activities that were previously difficult to organize because of the conflict.

He said the Interior Ministry continues to monitor developments closely, adding that lasting security, in the government's assessment, would further support regional economic growth and encourage greater investment in tourism and related industries.

The announcement comes against the backdrop of a peace initiative that has gradually evolved over the past two years through a series of political and security milestones.

The current process began in late November 2024, when Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli publicly launched an initiative aimed at creating conditions for a new phase of dialogue.

The proposal was followed a month later by a meeting at İmralı Prison between a delegation from the DEM Party, comprised of Pervin Buldan and Sırrı Süreyya Önder, and imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan.

According to the message released following that meeting, Öcalan called for strengthening relations between Turks and Kurds through political engagement, urging political actors across Türkiye to contribute constructively to the process.

Momentum continued into early 2025, when a ceasefire was declared on March 1 with the stated aim of creating a more favorable environment for dialogue.

Further developments followed in May 2025, when the PKK held its 12th Congress.

According to information released at the time, the organization decided to dissolve its armed structure and end its armed campaign, a decision widely viewed as one of the most consequential developments in the process, although its long-term implementation has continued to draw close attention.

Another symbolic milestone came in July 2025, when a group of 30 militants led by KCK Co-Chair Bese Hozat participated in a public disarmament ceremony near Jasana Cave in the Dukan district of Sulaimani, where weapons were burned in a highly publicized event.

Çiftçi's latest remarks place the reported surrender of 219 PKK members within that broader trajectory.

While Turkish authorities present the figures as evidence that dialogue efforts are producing tangible results, the government has continued to frame the initiative as a process requiring sustained security measures alongside political engagement.

Officials also argue that improved stability can deliver wider social and economic benefits beyond security.

According to the Interior Ministry, expanded mobility, the removal of selected checkpoints and the return of cultural and tourism activities demonstrate what authorities describe as changing conditions in areas long affected by conflict.

The government maintains that these developments could strengthen regional development by encouraging investment, supporting local businesses and expanding tourism opportunities, while continuing efforts to consolidate security gains.

Turkish authorities describe the latest surrender figures as another milestone in the "Türkiye Without Terrorism" initiative. 

Although officials portray the process as moving steadily forward, its longer-term trajectory will continue to depend on future political and security developments as Türkiye pursues efforts to bring the decades-long conflict to a lasting conclusion.