Ankara – The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) announced today that it has begun withdrawing its forces from Turkish territory, in line with resolutions adopted at the party’s 12th congress held in May.
In a recorded statement, the PKK said: “In accordance with the decisions of the 12th Party Congress, and with the approval of our leader Abdullah Öcalan, we announce the withdrawal of our forces from within Turkey’s borders, particularly from areas that could see potential escalation or provocations.”
The statement added that the withdrawal would be to the “defence zones in Medya” in northern Iraqi Kurdistan, noting that “precautionary measures will be taken in contact areas to prevent any clashes,” according to the PKK-linked Firat News Agency.
The party confirmed that “a portion of the forces has already arrived in the Medya defence zones and joined others during the announcement,” describing the move as “a tangible reflection of the position adopted at the 12th congress.”
The PKK stressed “the need to demonstrate the political and legal commitments required by this stage” and called for “the party’s transformation law to be regarded as the basis for its participation in democratic political life.”
It added that this transformation should ensure the PKK’s integration “into a path of freedom and democracy without obstruction.”
According to the statement, the withdrawal marks “a potentially significant moment after four decades of armed conflict,” and its political weight “will depend on how Ankara chooses to respond.”
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The Turkish government welcomed the PKK’s announcement. Ömer Çelik, spokesperson for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), said: “Turkey welcomes the withdrawal of the PKK from its territory. What we witnessed today is a tangible outcome of efforts to end a conflict that has lasted for four decades.”
In July, PKK members symbolically destroyed their weapons in a ceremony near Sulaymaniyah in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, marking a gesture towards ending the decades-long armed struggle against Turkey.
At the time, media sources reported that 30 PKK fighters took part in the ceremony, preceded by a statement announcing, “the end of the armed struggle and a transition to political activism.” Delegations from Turkey, Europe, Iraq, and the Kurdistan Region attended the event.
On 12 May, the PKK announced its formal dissolution and disarmament, responding to a call made by its imprisoned leader Abdullah Öcalan on 27 February from his cell on İmralı Island near Istanbul.
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The decision marked a key stage in the indirect talks ongoing since October between Öcalan and Ankara, in which the pro-Kurdish Equality and Democracy of Peoples Party has played a mediating role.
In early July, Öcalan declared “the end of the armed struggle against the Turkish state,” urging a complete transition to political engagement.
In his first recorded address in decades, he revealed plans for a parliamentary committee to oversee the voluntary disarmament process, describing it as “an important step towards peace and democratic politics.”
He said the disarmament mechanism “will advance the peace process and enable a voluntary shift from armed struggle to political and democratic participation,” noting that the PKK’s 12th congress “responded positively to this historic call.”
Earlier, in March, the PKK Executive Committee had endorsed Öcalan’s statement, confirming its commitment to implement the call while stressing the need for “political and legal conditions” to ensure its success.
The committee added that “a new historic phase has begun in Kurdistan and the Middle East, one that could significantly influence the development of democratic governance and a free way of life across the region.”
