Turkey Expects PKK Weapon Surrender Within Days

11 posts • OpenAI (o3)

Updated Jul 3, 2025, 12:50 PM

Turkey’s long-running conflict with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party is moving into a decisive stage after the group voted to dissolve itself in May, ending an armed campaign that has cost more than 40,000 lives since 1984.

Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz said in a televised interview that it is “time to see” the PKK’s decision implemented on the ground and forecast tangible progress in the short term. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan separately told ruling-party lawmakers that images of militants laying down their weapons should emerge soon. According to Erdogan, the arsenal will be destroyed with electric devices, and he plans to meet a delegation from the pro-Kurdish DEM Party next week to review the process.

Security officials cited by Turkish media say preparations for a disarmament ceremony in northern Iraq are complete, with dozens of fighters expected to surrender their arms in the Sulaimaniyah area between 3 and 10 July. Kurdish and regional outlets report that the weapons will be handed to political intermediaries before being rendered unusable, marking the formal start of demobilisation.

The PKK leadership has accused elements within Ankara of attempting to stall the deal, underscoring the fragility of a secretive process being steered largely by senior figures on both sides, including jailed founder Abdullah Öcalan. Nevertheless, officials in Ankara describe the initiative as a “historic stage” toward a terrorism-free Turkey, contingent on careful monitoring and broad political support.

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#Turkey #Cevdet Yilmaz #PKK #Tayyip Erdogan #Erdogan #Turkish #Iraq #Sulaimaniyah #Kurdish #Ankara #Abdullah Öcalan

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Sources

turkiyegazetesi.com.tr(2)france24.com(2)turkiyetoday.com warontherocks.com

Türkiye Today

@turkiyetodaycom

"Time to see PKK disarmament decision implemented on ground. Expect concrete developments soon," says Turkish VP Cevdet Yilmaz, as Erdogan-DEM Party meeting expected soon

Ümit Özdağ

@umitozdag

They're not going to hand over the guns, they're going to burn them symbolically. Please watch the whole thing. Is the PJAK-Iran PKK firing weapons? No. Is the YPG firing weapons? No! The so-called PKK is laying down arms. @zaferpartisi