Erdogan Concludes Ankara Talks with Pro-Kurdish DEM Party on PKK Disarmament

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan recently met with a delegation from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) to discuss progress in the peace process involving the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The DEM Party, which has been mediating the talks, met with jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has urged the PKK to lay down arms and pursue a political solution, leading to the PKK's formal dissolution in May. This meeting marked the second between Erdoğan and the DEM Party since the peace talks began, with expectations for PKK fighters to start disarmament soon, specifically in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The peace process aims to end a decades-long conflict that has claimed over 40,000 lives, and the disarmament phase is anticipated to unfold over the coming months. The DEM Party has played a pivotal role in facilitating communication between the Turkish government and Öcalan, who has been imprisoned since 1999. These developments are seen as critical steps toward achieving a lasting peace and social contract in the region.