Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani has voiced support for the recent symbolic disarmament by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), calling it a potential turning point in the long-running conflict between the group and the Turkish state.
“We are confident that this step will move the peace process to a new phase and will be followed by other practical steps that will move the process forward in the right direction,” Barzani said in a written statement.
His comments followed a symbolic ceremony held at Jasana Cave, in the rural district of Sulaymaniyah, where 30 PKK members destroyed their weapons. The ceremony came in the wake of a July 9 video message by jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, the first public footage of him in 26 years, calling for a peaceful resolution to the Kurdish issue.
PKK holds disarmament ceremony to end four-decade armed struggle
Barzani affirmed his administration’s continued support for efforts to advance the peace process. “To this end, as always, we are ready to provide all necessary assistance and facilitation and to carry out any duty that falls upon our shoulders,” he said.
He called on all sides to prioritize the pursuit of peace, emphasizing that such a process would serve the interests of both Turkey and the broader region. Barzani also extended his thanks to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as well as his nationalist ally Devlet Bahçeli and PKK ledaer Öcalan, acknowledging their role in the process.
Following a Feb 27 message from Öcalan urging a political path, the PKK declared a unilateral ceasefire on Mar 1 and officially announced its organizational dissolution in May. The symbolic disarmament ceremony was intended as a public demonstration of that decision. (TY/VK)
