Ankara (TDI): President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday that Turkiye is entering a new era, following the symbolic disarmament of PKK militants, a move he believes could finally bring an end to decades of violence.
On Friday, 30 members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) laid down their weapons and set them ablaze outside a cave in northern Iraq. Erdogan praised the gesture, calling it a significant step toward lasting peace.
“With yesterday’s development, we have started to leave behind the long shadow of terrorism,” the president told a gathering of his ruling AK Party in Ankara. “A fresh chapter has begun, one that opens the way for a stronger, more unified Turkiye.”
He emphasized the need for national unity and parliamentary backing to carry the process forward. Plans are already underway to form a legislative commission tasked with guiding the disarmament and helping the PKK transition into political life.
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“This is a time for collective effort. I expect our parliament to support the process with wide participation from all parties,” Erdogan said.
For decades, the PKK and the Turkish state have been locked in a cycle of violence. What started in 1984 as an armed push for Kurdish rights turned into a bloody conflict that has taken more than 40,000 lives. Most people in Turkiye have either felt its impact or know someone who has.
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In May, Abdullah Ocalan, the PKK’s founder who has been in prison for years, called on the group to finally lay down their weapons. Not long after, PKK leaders said they would start disarming and step away from the armed struggle.
Many in Turkiye are watching this closely. There have been peace talks before, but none have stuck. This time feels different to some, but others remain skeptical. Still, if the guns stay silent, it could be a real turning point for a country that has carried this burden for far too long.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
