PKK Begins Pullout of Fighters from Turkey Toward Northern Iraq

The PKK says it has begun relocating its fighters from Turkey to northern Iraq as part of its disarmament plan and push for a lasting peace process.

The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has begun withdrawing its fighters from Turkish territory to northern Iraq, calling it a critical step in its declared transition from armed struggle to political participation. The move follows months of indirect talks between PKK representatives and Ankara.

The PKK, designated a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the European Union, and the United States, announced in May that it would dissolve its armed wing and end a conflict that has killed roughly 50,000 people over four decades. Its fighters have been largely confined to mountainous border zones near Iraq in recent years.

In a ceremonial announcement delivered in the Qandil region on Sunday, PKK leaders confirmed that the first batch of 25 militants, including eight women, has crossed into Iraqi territory. They described the withdrawal as part of a broader effort to lay the foundations for a “free, democratic and fraternal life.”

Sabri Ok, a senior PKK figure, urged the Turkish government to enact legal protections for fighters who disarm, arguing that a durable peace requires more than a general amnesty. The organisation also renewed its demand for engagement with Abdullah Ocalan, its imprisoned founder who has been held in solitary confinement since 1999.

Turkey’s ruling AK Party welcomed the withdrawal as evidence of progress in its aim to achieve a “terror-free Turkey.” Party spokesperson Omer Celik said the development will support a parliamentary commission tasked with creating a legal framework for the reintegration of former militants.

President Tayyip Erdogan has described the PKK’s dissolution and disarmament initiative as a significant achievement for national security after decades of insurgency. Analysts say the coming months will test whether political trust can replace armed confrontation.

While optimism is cautiously growing, the peace process remains fragile. The future of Ocalan and the pace of legal reforms in Turkey will likely determine whether the transition succeeds or the conflict risks resurgence.

Successful demobilisation could reshape the security landscape in southeastern Turkey and northern Iraq, offering one of the most promising opportunities in years to end a protracted and destabilising conflict in the region.

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