In a landmark development aimed at fostering peace, a prominent Kurdish militant group, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), declared on Sunday, October 26, 2025, that it is initiating the withdrawal of its combatants from Turkiye into northern Iraq.
This significant announcement, made from northern Iraq by the PKK, builds upon preliminary steps taken months prior when a segment of its fighters symbolically surrendered their weapons, signaling a commitment to the burgeoning peace process.
For decades, the PKK has been embroiled in a bitter insurgency against Turkiye, a conflict that has tragically claimed tens of thousands of lives since its inception in the 1980s.
Sabri Ok, a member of the KCK (Group of Communities in Kurdistan, which is associated with the PKK) executive board, conveyed the group’s rationale behind this strategic move. “With the endorsement of our imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan, we are presently redeploying all our forces stationed within Turkiye to the Medya Defence Area. This measure is crucial to avert any potential conflicts or provocations during this sensitive period.”