UN welcomes PKK withdrawal from Turkey as step toward “peaceful resolution”
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The United Nations welcomed on Monday the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)’s recent decision to dissolve, disarm, and withdraw its forces from Turkish territory, describing it as a potentially significant step toward ending decades of armed conflict between the PKK and Turkey.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, through his spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, said the Secretary-General is “following very closely the progress made regarding the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and its decision to dissolve, disarm,” noting the group’s announcement that it has begun withdrawing its fighters from Turkey to Iraq.
“The decision, if implemented, would represent another important step towards the peaceful resolution of this long-standing conflict,” Dujarric told Rudaw during a press briefing at the UN headquarters in New York.
The Secretary-General urged all parties concerned to act in good faith and work constructively toward implementing the decision, emphasizing that dialogue and restraint are essential for achieving lasting peace and stability in the region.
The PKK’s declaration, which came amid renewed regional diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions between Turkey, Iraq, and Kurdish political actors, has been widely viewed as a major development in one of the region’s most entrenched conflicts.
Founded in 1978, the PKK has waged an armed insurgency against the Turkish state for decades, seeking greater autonomy and rights for Kurds. The conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced countless civilians across southeastern Turkey – or what the Kurds name, Northern Kurdistan.
If the group’s disarmament and withdrawal proceed as stated, it could mark a turning point in regional security dynamics and open the door to a broader reconciliation process between Ankara and Kurdish representatives.