The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the EU, began a symbolic disarmament process on July 11, 2025, in Sulaymaniyah, northern Iraq. This marked a significant step toward ending a 40-year conflict with Turkey that has killed over 40,000 people. Approximately 30 PKK fighters, including both men and women, burned their weapons, such as Kalashnikov rifles and RPGs, in a ceremony at Casne cave, signaling a shift from armed struggle to democratic politics. The event followed a February 27, 2025, call by jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan for disarmament and was endorsed by the PKK’s 12th Congress in May. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hailed it as a “historic event,” while the Iraqi Foreign Ministry and the UN expressed support, seeing it as a step toward regional stability. The process, expected to conclude by September, involves coordination with Turkey, Iraq, and the Kurdish Regional Government, though challenges remain, including Turkish military strikes and demands for Kurdish rights.
The Kurdish issue remains a long-standing political, cultural, and social struggle of the Kurdish people, a stateless ethnic group of about 30-40 million spread primarily across Turkey, Iraq, Syria, and Iran, with smaller communities in Armenia and the diaspora. The Kurds, who speak various dialects of the Kurdish language and have a distinct cultural identity, have historically sought greater autonomy, cultural rights, or independence, often facing suppression by the states they inhabit.
After the Ottoman Empire’s collapse, the 1920 Treaty of Sèvres promised a Kurdish state, but the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne redrew borders, leaving Kurds divided across Turkey, Iraq, Syria, and Iran without a homeland. Each country pursued assimilation policies, banning Kurdish language, culture, and political expression. In Turkey, Kurds were historically labeled “mountain Turks,” and their identity was suppressed through forced relocations and cultural erasure. Kurdish uprisings, like the 1925 Sheikh Said rebellion in Turkey or the 1946 Mahabad Republic in Iran, were crushed, fueling resentment and nationalist aspirations.
The PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party), founded in 1978 by Abdullah Öcalan, launched an armed insurgency in 1984 against Turkey, seeking Kurdish autonomy or independence. The conflict has killed over 40,000 people. Turkey views the PKK as a terrorist group, and its military operations, including cross-border strikes into Iraq and Syria, target PKK bases. Kurds in Turkey (15-20% of the population) face restrictions on language and political rights, though reforms in the 2000s allowed limited cultural expression. The July 2025 PKK disarmament in Sulaymaniyah, following Öcalan’s call, aims to shift the struggle to democratic politics, but Turkey demands guarantees against PKK resurgence and broader Kurdish rights remain contentious.
In Iraq, Kurds are about 5-6 million in population and have achieved significant autonomy through the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) since the 1991 Gulf War and 2003 US invasion. The KRG governs a semi-autonomous region with its own parliament and security forces (Peshmerga). The PKK’s presence in northern Iraq, particularly in Qandil Mountains, complicates relations with Turkey and the KRG, as Turkey conducts airstrikes targeting PKK bases. The 2025 disarmament process, supported by Iraq and the KRG, reflects efforts to stabilize the region.
Syrian Kurds (about 2 million) gained prominence during the Syrian Civil War, with the YPG (People’s Protection Units), linked to the PKK, controlling parts of northern Syria (Rojava). The YPG’s role in fighting ISIS earned Western support but strained ties with Turkey, which sees the YPG as a PKK extension. Kurds in Syria seek federalism or autonomy, but their gains are precarious due to Turkish military incursions and shifting alliances.
The PKK’s presence across borders fuels regional tensions, with Turkey’s military actions in Iraq and Syria complicating Kurdish aspirations and relations with host governments. The PKK’s symbolic disarmament is a pivotal moment. While President Erdogan called it “historic,” Turkey demands complete PKK dissolution and continues military operations in Iraq and Syria. Kurds seek constitutional recognition, cultural rights, and amnesty for fighters, which Turkey has not fully addressed. Iraq and the KRG support disarmament to reduce Turkish incursions, but ongoing tensions with other Kurdish groups (e.g., YPG in Syria) complicate peace efforts.
The Kurdish issue will remain a flashpoint for regional instability, intersecting with Turkey’s NATO role, Syria’s civil war, and Iran’s regional ambitions. The PKK’s disarmament could de-escalate violence in Turkey and Iraq but risks failure without reciprocal concessions on Kurdish rights. Kurdish autonomy in Iraq and Syria sets precedents, but their sustainability depends on international support and regional power dynamics.
Galactik Views