Report: Türkiye, Iraq, KRG Reach Understanding to Close Makhmour Camp Under New Peace Framework
Turkish newspaper says plan envisions return of 16,000 residents and security screening of PKK members
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Türkiye, Iraq, and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) have reportedly reached an understanding to close the Makhmour refugee camp and facilitate the return of around 16,000 residents to Türkiye following the adoption of new legislation aimed at advancing Ankara's peace process, according to a Turkish media report.
Turkish daily Nefes on Sunday reported that the process of evacuating the Makhmour camp and resolving the status of members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) would begin after Türkiye's parliament approved what it described as a new "framework law" governing the peace process.
The report said the legislation is considered a key step toward implementing broader reconciliation measures and paves the way for the return of approximately 16,000 Turkish citizens currently residing in the camp, located southwest of Erbil, the capital city of Kurdistan Region.
According to Nefes, the law also covers PKK members based in the Qandil Mountains and individuals affiliated with the group's European network.
The newspaper further claimed that Ankara, the Iraqi federal government, and the KRG had reached a full understanding on the mechanism for returning Makhmour's residents.
It added that a detailed roadmap had been submitted to the Turkish presidency and relevant ministries, outlining procedures for the voluntary return and civilian reintegration of camp residents, as well as the repatriation of foreign nationals living in the camp to their respective countries.
The report also said that approximately 2,000 PKK members residing in Makhmour would undergo security screening. Those seeking to return to Türkiye and benefit from the new law would have their cases reviewed after the vetting process, with authorities expected to determine their legal status individually.
According to the report, the initiative is intended to bring an end to both the armed presence linked to the PKK and the long-standing Makhmour camp file.
Neither the Turkish government, the Iraqi federal government, nor the Kurdistan Regional Government had officially commented on the reported agreement as of Sunday.
Makhmour Camp was established in the 1990s to house Kurdish refugees who fled southeastern Türkiye during the conflict between Turkish security forces and the PKK.
Located about 60 kilometers southwest of Erbil, the camp is administered by the United Nations but has long been at the center of political and security disputes.
Ankara has repeatedly alleged that the camp serves as a recruitment and logistical hub for the PKK, which is designated as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States, and the European Union.
Camp residents and humanitarian organizations have denied that characterization, maintaining that the camp primarily shelters civilians.
The reported plan comes amid renewed efforts by Türkiye to resolve its decades-long conflict with the PKK through a combination of political initiatives and security measures.
In recent months, Ankara has promoted a new peace framework while continuing military operations against PKK positions in northern Iraq, with Iraqi and Kurdistan Region authorities also seeking to address the security challenges posed by armed groups operating on Iraqi territory.