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The PKK terrorist group recently invited the press to witness what it described as a “historic moment” in northern Iraq.
The organization announced that it has ceased all military activity inside Türkiye and withdrawn all of its militants to northern Iraq.
While this declaration made headlines in both the Turkish and international media, in reality, the move is more symbolic and political than a genuine shift in the situation on the ground.
The PKK appears to have felt the need to reaffirm its commitment to disarmament and self-dissolution.
Months ago, the PKK had already declared its intention to disarm and dissolve itself, following a call from its imprisoned ringleader, Abdullah Ocalan.
However, since that announcement, there have been no tangible or concrete steps to implement the decision.
While such disarmament processes often take time, the developments—or lack thereof—in the interim have undermined confidence in the sincerity of the PKK’s intentions.
The PKK claims that the Turkish parliament must establish a legal framework to enable its militants to surrender their weapons and turn themselves in to Turkish authorities.
Yet, from Ankara’s perspective, the PKK is simultaneously engaging in three behaviors that contradict the notion of genuine disarmament.
First, the PKK and its affiliated media outlets are pushing aggressively to frame the disarmament process not as a negotiated settlement.
They place heavy emphasis on the rhetoric of a “peace process” or “peace” and on portraying the situation as one of mutual concessions.
Secondly, the Syrian branch of the PKK, known as the YPG, continues to exclude itself from the disarmament decision.
The YPG-dominated SDF has yet to take any meaningful steps toward integration into the Syrian state.
Moreover, some voices within the PKK or affiliated with it are promoting a territorial distinction—arguing that the group could lay down arms in Türkiye and Iraq in exchange for Türkiye refraining from intervention in Syria.
Lastly, reports indicate that several thousand PKK militants have recently relocated from Iraq to Syria.
This development is clearly troubling. The PKK should be disarming, not repositioning its forces.
Recognizing growing frustration and impatience in Ankara, Abdullah Ocalan, from his prison cell, apparently sent a video message to the PKK leadership.
Following this message, the group staged a public display of withdrawal from Türkiye.
In truth, however, the PKK has lacked operational military capacity inside Türkiye for years.
This latest move was primarily designed to revive Ocalan's initiative, rebuild trust and remind both the public and PKK cadres that the commitment to disarm and dissolve remains in place.
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