In a dramatic turn in one of the Middle East’s longest conflicts, Kurdish militant group PKK began pulling its fighters out of Turkiye on Sunday.
The move was hailed as a major step toward peace after four decades of bloodshed.
“We are implementing the withdrawal of all our forces within Turkiye,” a PKK spokesperson announced.
The statement came from the rugged Qandil Mountains in northern Iraq.
Around 25 armed fighters — eight of them women — stood beneath banners of their jailed leader, Abdullah Ocalan, the man they still call “Leader Apo.”
Fragile Path To Peace
But for the PKK, disarmament isn’t the end. It’s a test. The group says real peace depends on Ocalan’s freedom.
“It’s very difficult to carry out such an important process in isolation,” senior PKK commander Devrim Palu told reporters. “His release is crucial.”
Ankara, led by President Erdogan, has cautiously welcomed the withdrawal as “concrete progress.”
Talks between government officials and Kurdish representatives are ongoing.
A parliamentary commission is preparing the legal framework for reintegration.
For now, the guns are falling silent. But as one fighter warned, “The peace process must be protected from provocations.”
After 40 years, the war may be ending — but the real fight for coexistence has only just begun.
