Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has hailed the start of a disarmament process by militant Kurdish separatists, marking the end of a “painful chapter” in Turkey’s troubled history. The PKK laid down their arms on Friday in northern Iraq, setting fire to their rifles and machine guns. This symbolic move is seen as the first step towards a promised disarmament as part of a peace process aimed at ending four decades of hostilities.
The move comes after PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan urged his group to convene a congress and formally disband and disarm in February, with the PKK announcing its intention to do so in May. The conflict between Turkey and the PKK began in 1984, with the aim of establishing a Kurdish state in southeastern Turkey. Over time, the objective evolved into a campaign for autonomy and rights for Kurds within Turkey.
The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the EU. Previous peace efforts between Turkey and the PKK have ended in failure, with the most recent one in 2015.
Erdogan claimed that there had been no bargaining with the PKK, stating that the “terror-free Turkey project” was not the result of negotiations or transactions. Turkish officials have not disclosed if any concessions were made to the PKK in exchange for laying down their arms. A parliamentary commission will be established to oversee the peace process.
The move has sparked mixed reactions from international observers, with some hailing it as a positive step towards peace, while others have expressed skepticism about its long-term viability.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/erdogan-pkk-disarmament-a23b5269e7e8926c3a8d1dc22c4b9db8