PKK Begins Symbolic Disarmament Ceremony in Northern Iraq

The Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) has begun a symbolic disarmament process as part of a peace initiative with Turkey, marked by a ceremony in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, where fighters publicly handed over and destroyed weapons. This move follows a May announcement by the PKK to disband and renounce armed conflict, urged by imprisoned leader Abdullah Öcalan, who called for an end to the armed struggle and promoted a transition to legal and democratic political methods. The ceremony involved about 30 fighters and was attended by Turkish, Iraqi, and Kurdish officials, highlighting the seriousness of this step despite being largely symbolic given the PKK's estimated thousands of fighters. The Turkish government views this development as a significant turning point towards ending decades of violence and expects full disarmament by year-end, with monitoring by regional authorities. The PKK has long been designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the EU, and the USA, and its disarmament is seen as part of a broader peace and democratization process that could transform Turkish-Kurdish relations. However, observers caution that the peace process will be lengthy and challenging, requiring political will and respect for Kurdish democratic rights.