In a historic turn of events, Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) founder and leader Abdullah Öcalan declared[i] an end to the group’s 41-year-long armed conflict with the Turkish state in May 2025.[ii] On 11 July the PKK began the process of laying down its weapons, working towards complete disarmament[iii] as part of a promising peace process. This is a critical turning point in the history of Turkish–Kurdish relations as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated.[iv]
Disarmament and distrust
The PKK’s disarmament is expected to unfold in stages, with a projected completion by September, but considerable distrust persists on both sides.
The Turkish army has continued its military operation in northern Iraq, bombing the PKK’s military bases, shelters and tunnels[v], with some reports claiming that more than 500 attacks were carried out in June alone.[vi] The last attack ended just a day before PKK members symbolically put down their weapons in July.
This indicates some distrust on the Turkish government’s side that the peace process would achieve complete disarmament on its own. The Turkish army is aiming to destroy as much of the PKK’s remaining arsenal as possible.
Notwithstanding, such operations might proliferate distrust further. Some senior PKK officers questioned Turkish intentions as the attacks also hit tunnels in the mountains of Iraq that the PKK had been using as a refuge point for the past 40 years. They also fear the harassment of PKK fighters after their return to Türkiye in addition to expressing concerns about the conditions imprisoned Kurdish political leaders face.[vii] In addition to this, according to a BBC field report, many ordinary Kurdish villagers in Türkiye lacked trust in the Turkish government’s good intentions too.[viii]
Reintegration and reconciliation
With the PKK’s armed campaign having come to an end, the immediate future raises critical questions about the destiny of remaining fighters, which is especially important considering their estimated numbers. While no exact registry of PKK guerrilla fighters exists, some reports estimate the group to be made up to more than four thousand men and women[ix].
The reintegration of these fighters into society will be a crucial task, especially since some of them had carried weapons for decades. Without such a programme in place, the risk of social tensions and re-escalation remain high.[x]
On 12 July, President Erdoğan announced a “new path for Türkiye” and that there will be steps taken toward legal reform.[xi] Erdoğan did not mention any details on how and when these legal reforms will be drafted and implemented, but on 31 July, the parliament’s spokesperson announced the establishment of a special parliamentary commission to advance this process. The commission will include lawmakers from different parties, including the opposition, to ensure the representation of a wide political spectrum.[xii]
So far, the Turkish government has not revealed any broader plan to establish a reintegration program for PKK members, nor a specific legal outcome that includes a pardon for PKK fighters. However, no lasting peace can be achieved without taking these steps into serious consideration.
What is needed for reconciliation?
For lasting reconciliation to be achieved, there must be a series of steps taken during the peace process that foster trust and provide tangible guarantees for the protection of Kurds.
- Amnesty and pardon progamme: A key demand from the PKK and pro-Kurdish parties is the provision of amnesty for former fighters, which would allow them to return to Türkiye without facing imprisonment or harm. However, the Turkish government has not communicated its intention to grant general amnesty for PKK members.[xiii] Even in lieu of this, partial pardons and the release of Kurdish political figures formerly imprisoned might be considered as an acceptable middle ground by many.[xiv] In a statement to local Kurdish media, PKK fighters said they continue to be concerned about retaliatory actions taken by the government.[xv]
- Income Generation for PKK members: In order to facilitate fighters’ viable return to civilian life, the Turkish government needs to initiate programmes aimed at providing vocational training, educational opportunities, and employment for former PKK members. This should prevent them from returning to military actions in the future or rejoining other insurgent groups in the region. Many fighters joined the PKK as a result of losing their source of income in the wake of Turkish military attacks on their villages[xvi], and a general lack of economic growth in the Kurdish regions of Türkiye.[xvii]
- Legal Reforms: The PKK’s shift to democratic politics implies a persisting desire for greater Kurdish rights within Türkiye’s legal framework. Discussions around constitutional amendments to expand cultural rights, including Kurdish language education, are expected to gain traction over the coming months. The Kurdish DEM party is concerned about the legal reforms that must be undertaken[xviii] and stated that there is “no clear plan” from the Turkish government regarding these reforms, especially as this would involve changing the law on terror.
Conclusion
For this important turning point to truly usher in lasting peace, both the PKK and the Turkish state must move beyond symbolic gestures to tangible and mutually reassuring actions. The Turkish government’s commitment to a clear reintegration program, legal pardons, and genuine constitutional reforms addressing Kurdish rights would be of paramount importance in guaranteeing Kurdish compliance.
The PKK’s consistent adherence to the disarmament process and a transition to political engagement without armed struggle is important to note in this respect. The coming months, particularly leading up to the projected September completion of disarmament, will be critical in determining whether this fragile peace initiative can overcome historical grievances and current suspicions to build a future of reconciliation and stability.
The PKK’s symbolic disarmament marks an indisputable moment of hope for an end to decades of conflict and the dawn of a new chapter in Turkish-Kurdish relations. However, as the initial optimism subsides, the path ahead remains troubled with challenges. The continued military operations by the Turkish army in northern Iraq[xix], despite the PKK’s unilateral ceasefire and in light of the continued lack of post-disarmament legal guarantees, embed a deep-seated distrust that could jeopardize the promising peace process.
[i] France24 (2025). ‘Kurdish militant group PKK to disband and end armed struggle with Turkey’, 12 May 2025, retrieved from: https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250512-%F0%9F%94%B4kurdish-pkk-to-dissolve-ending-armed-struggle-with-turkey-affiliated-news-agency-says.
[ii] Butler, D. and Toksabay, E. (2025). ‘Kurdish PKK ends 40-year Turkey insurgency, bringing hope of regional stability’, Reuters, 12 May 2025, retrieved from: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/kurdish-pkk-dissolves-after-decades-struggle-with-turkey-news-agency-close-2025-05-12/.
[iii] Martany, S. and Abdul-Zahra, Q. (2025). ‘Kurdish separatist fighters in Iraq begin laying down weapons as part of peace process with Turkey’, AP News, 11 July 2025, retrieved from: https://apnews.com/article/pkk-kurdish-iraq-turkey-peace-process-disarmament-b91f6eac4794767fee2d3288fcb343d1.
[iv] Euronews (2025). ‘Turkey’s leader says PKK disarmament opens “new page in history” after group lays down arms’, Euronews, 12 July 2025, retrieved from: https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/07/12/turkeys-leader-says-pkk-disarmament-opens-new-page-in-history-after-group-lays-down-arms.[v] France 24 (2025). ‘Turkey attempts to neutralize PKK tunnels in Iraq despite dissolution of Kurdish militant group’, 10 July 2025, retrieved from: https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20250710-turkey-neutralise-pkk-tunnels-iraq-dissolution-kurdish-militant-group.
[vi] Rudaw (2025). ‘Turkey continues to strike PKK ahead of disarmament: Watchdog’, 11 July 2025, retrieved from: https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/11072025.
[vii] France24 (2025). ‘PKK leader accuses Turkish government of “seeking to sabotage” disarmament process’, 3 July 2025, retrieved from: https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20250703-turkish-government-seeking-to-sabotage-disarmament-process-says-pkk-leader.
[viii] Guerin, O. (2025). ‘Scepticism and cautious hope as PKK takes historic step to disband’, BBC News, 12 May 2025, retrieved from: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c74ql7evgq7o.
[ix] International Crisis Group (2025). ‘Turkiye’s PKK Conflict: A Visual Explainer’, 4 June 2025, retrieved from: https://www.crisisgroup.org/content/turkiyes-pkk-conflict-visual-explainer.
[x] Unveren, B. and Solaker, G. (2025). ‘What does the end of the PKK mean for Turkey?’, DW, 15 May 2025, retrieved from: https://www.dw.com/en/what-does-the-end-of-the-pkk-mean-for-turkey/a-72546682.
[xi] TRT Global (2025). ‘Turkiye has won: Erdogan says after PKK terrorsts disarm’, 12 July 2025, retrieved from: https://trt.global/world/article/cf5df041f6f6.
[xii] Hurriyet Daily News (2025). ‘Parties name members for anti-terror commission’, 31 July 2025, retrieved from: https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/parties-name-members-for-anti-terror-commission-212056.
[xiii] France24 (2025). ‘Turkey eyes legal steps after Kurdish militant group PKK disbands’, 14 May 2025, retrieved from: https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250514-turkey-eyes-legal-steps-after-kurdish-militant-group-pkk-disbands.
[xiv] Rudaw (2025). ‘Turkey’s Erdogan grants amnesty to ill Kurdish prisoner’, 30 June 2025, retrieved from: https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/turkey/30062025.
[xv] Rudaw (2025). ‘Turkey’s PKK peace commission will meet Tuesday’, 1 August 2025, retrieved from: https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/turkey/01082025.[xvi] Jongerden, J. (2005). ‘Villages of No Return’, Merip, retrieved from: https://merip.org/2005/06/villages-of-no-return/#:~:text=Either%20they%20could%20become%20members,better%20able%20to%20control%20the.
[xvii] Al Jazeera (2008). ‘Poverty haunts Turkey’s Kurds’, 23 January 2008, retrieved from: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2008/1/23/poverty-haunts-turkeys-kurds.
[xviii] The Insight International *2025). ‘Kurdish DEM party says Turkey offers no clearn plan in peace talks’, 20 March 2025, retrieved from: https://theinsightinternational.com/kurdish-party-says-turkey-2025-03-20.
[xix] Shafaq News (2025). ‘Turkiye intensifies Iraqi Kurdistan operations’, 11 July 2025, retrieved from: https://shafaq.com/en/Kurdistan/Turkiye-intensifies-Iraqi-Kurdistan-operations.
