High-Level Meeting in Erbil to Discuss PKK Disarmament Process, Turkish Media Reports

Peregraf 

A Turkish media outlet with close ties to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has revealed plans for a significant meeting in Erbil this Thursday to coordinate the disarmament of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The gathering will involve senior leaders of the PKK, a Turkish delegation comprising high-ranking officers from the Turkish Armed Forces and the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), and representatives from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). This development follows the PKK's recent announcement to disband and end its armed struggle, a conflict that has spanned over four decades and resulted in tens of thousands of casualties.

Fatih Atik, head of the Ankara bureau for Turkey's TGRT Haber, reported that the Turkish delegation is a committee formed from high-ranking officers of the Turkish Armed Forces and MIT. The meeting aims to establish a framework for the PKK's disarmament. Following the meeting, the actual weapons surrender is set to begin under a plan.

The PKK's decision to disarm aligns with a call made earlier this year by its imprisoned leader, Abdullah Öcalan, who urged the group to cease armed activities and pursue a democratic resolution to the Kurdish issue. The announcement was made during a congress held in the border areas of Kurdistan Region of Iraq, signaling a potential end to a conflict that has significantly impacted Turkey and its neighboring regions.

According to CNN Türk, the disarmament process is expected to occur under international supervision, involving observers from the United Nations and other relevant bodies.

The announcement comes hours after the PKK formally declared its dissolution and commitment to disarmament—a historic move following decades of armed conflict with the Turkish state. The weapons handover is scheduled to take place in several designated locations across the Kurdistan Region, including Amedi, Kani Masi, Koysinjaq, Sayidsadq, and Ranya.

This unprecedented meeting marks the first time in the 40-year conflict that Turkish military officials will formally sit across from PKK leadership. The outcome could determine whether this week's disarmament declaration evolves into a sustainable peace process or becomes another stalled initiative in the long-standing conflict.