PKK Disarmament
In a historic announcement, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) declared that it would end its armed struggle against the Turkish state, following an order from its imprisoned leader, Abdullah Öcalan, for the group to disarm as part of renewed peace efforts with President Erdoğan's government. The PKK has led an armed insurgency since 1984, initially seeking an independent Kurdish state before shifting towards autonomy and political rights within Turkey. In early July 2025, the group held a symbolic ceremony to mark the start of the disarmament process. The Kurds are one of the largest stateless ethnic groups in the world, with over 30 million people living in Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria. While the PKK’s move marks a major step towards peace, the group has emphasised that the process depends on meaningful concessions from the Turkish government.
PKK Disarmament