The Kurdistan Workers' Party Announces Withdrawal of Its Forces from Turkey to Northern Iraq

The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) announced today, Sunday, the withdrawal of all its forces from Turkish territory to Northern Iraq, describing the decision as a "historic step towards peace and a democratic society."

In a statement published by the Firat News Agency close to the party, the organization said that the withdrawal represents "the second phase of the call for peace and a democratic society," urging the Turkish government to take legal steps that pave the way for transforming the armed conflict into a political path.

The statement said: "A special amnesty law for the Kurdistan Workers' Party must be adopted as a basis for the next phase, and laws on freedoms and democratic integration must be enacted for genuine participation in political life."

Call to Resume the Peace Process

The party urged the Turkish authorities to ensure the safety of its fighters during the withdrawal and to allow them to engage in political work, considering that "comprehensive peace is the only option to end the suffering of the Kurdish and Turkish peoples."

The statement clarified that the wars and regional conflicts in the Middle East "threaten the future of both the Kurds and Turkey," noting that the new path came under the influence of statements from both Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Nationalist Movement Party leader Devlet Bahçeli, and the imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan, under the title "peace and a democratic society."

The party added that over the past eight months, it has taken preliminary steps to build trust, including announcing a ceasefire on March 1 of last year "in response to calls for peace."

Sensitive Political Context

This announcement represents the first declared withdrawal of the party's forces from within Turkey in years, amid ongoing Turkish security escalations against the party's strongholds in Northern Iraq and Syria.
No official comment has yet been issued by the Turkish authorities regarding the statement, while observers believe that the step — if confirmed on the ground — could open a limited window to revive the negotiation process that has been stalled since 2015.

The Kurdistan Workers' Party is classified as a terrorist organization in Turkey, the United States, and the European Union, and has been waging an armed rebellion against the Turkish state since 1984, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides.