Turkish Opposition Meets Kurdish Leaders in Iraq Amid Peace Talks

A recent series of meetings involving Turkey's pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party and Kurdish leaders in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region has sparked discussions around potential peace efforts between Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Key figures, including Masoud Barzani, the head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, emphasized the need to support a peace process initiated by Abdullah Öcalan, the jailed PKK leader. The DEM delegation's discussions, which included meetings with both Barzani and members of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, focused on Kurdish unity and the prospects for a democratic resolution to the ongoing conflict. Barzani expressed readiness to assist in the peace process and highlighted the importance of dialogue to prevent further crises in the region. While details remain scarce, Kurdish politicians anticipate an announcement from Öcalan regarding a peace roadmap before Newroz, the Kurdish New Year in March. Observers are closely monitoring these developments, which could reshape intra-Kurdish relations and the broader political landscape in the region.