Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has hailed the disarmament of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) as a “historic turning point” and called on the national parliament to throw its full weight behind the process, marking what he described as the beginning of a new era for Turkey.
Addressing members of his ruling AK Party in Ankara on Saturday, Erdogan said the disarmament initiative launched with the symbolic burning of weapons by 30 PKK militants in northern Iraq signifies the beginning of the end for one of the country’s longest and bloodiest conflicts.
“As of yesterday, the scourge of terrorism has entered its final phase. Today marks a new beginning. A new page has been turned in our national history,” the president declared. “The gates of a strong, united, and peaceful Turkey have been thrown wide open.”
Erdogan confirmed that parliament would soon be tasked with establishing a legal framework to formalize and complete the disarmament process. “I expect our parliament to embrace this process with the broadest national consensus,” he added.
The announcement comes after the PKK, an outlawed separatist group since 1984, announced in May that it would disband, disarm, and transition to democratic political engagement, following a public appeal by its imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan.
The move follows several previously failed peace attempts between Ankara and the PKK, whose decades-long insurgency has claimed over 40,000 lives, destabilized southeastern Turkey, and drained national economic and security resources.
The initial disarmament ceremony took place on Friday at the mouth of a cave in northern Iraq, where militants burned their weapons in front of observers. Erdogan described the act as both symbolic and significant, signaling a credible shift away from violence.
The Turkish government is reportedly preparing to establish a parliamentary commission to supervise the remaining disarmament process and ensure a smooth transition of former militants into peaceful political life.
“This is not just a political shift, it is a national transformation,” Erdogan said. “The wounds of the past can begin to heal now. Our people Kurdish, Turkish, and all others can walk forward together.”
Analysts believe the successful completion of the disarmament could have far-reaching implications, both for Turkey’s internal stability and its role in regional politics, particularly in relation to Iraq, Syria, and EU relations.
For now, the Turkish government is urging all political stakeholders to unite behind the peace effort and support the vision of a terror-free, inclusive, and prosperous Turkey.
