Ankara is entering what officials describe as the final phase of the PKK’s disarmament, with expectations that images of surrendered weapons could be released in the coming days.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has confirmed that the process is progressing as planned. “The first images will be shared with the public as soon as possible,” he said, referring to what the government has branded the “Terror-Free Turkey” initiative.
Spokesperson for the DEM, Ayşegül Doğan, said the coming week could mark a historic turning point in the PKK’s disarmament process, on July 3. “We are on the verge of a new phase,” she said. “According to information shared with us, we will witness a historic moment together within the next week, accompanied by a series of steps.”
PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan is expected to release a video message in the coming days, addressing both the organization and the Turkish public. The message, likely to feature other inmates from İmralı Island Prison, is expected to outline the movement’s next phase. Öcalan is anticipated to stress disarmament as a pivotal step toward a new chapter, urging the group to fulfill its responsibilities and calling on Parliament to take action that could enable potential returns.
Turkish intelligence chief İbrahim Kalın visited Hakkari as part of ongoing efforts, following earlier meetings in Erbil with KRG leaders Masoud Barzani, Nechirvan Barzani, and Masrour Barzani.
NOT BURY BUT MELT
According to sources in the ruling AKP, the abandoned weapons will not be buried but instead will be destroyed through 'technological methods,' specifically melted down and permanently decommissioned.
The first handover is expected imminently and may be held as a ceremonial event, possibly under media observation. Officials indicate it could take place before a scheduled July 9 meeting between Erdoğan and members of the İmralı delegation from the pro-Kurdish DEM Party.
DEM Party MPs Pervin Buldan and Mithat Sancar are also scheduled to hold parallel meetings with MHP Chair Devlet Bahçeli and CHP Chair Özgür Özel to discuss the political framework surrounding the disarmament process.
Following the release of disarmament footage, Parliament is expected to formally establish a commission to oversee the legal framework of the process. However, the İYİ Party has announced it will not participate, criticizing the initiative as contrary to national interests.
There is debate over what the commission will be called. While the ruling bloc favors the “Terror-Free Turkey Commission,” the DEM Party opposes that terminology as criminalizing and prefers a name that emphasizes peace and democracy, wrote Ayşe Sayın from BBC Turkish.
The final name and structure of the commission are expected to be decided in a meeting chaired by Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş before the summer recess.
BAKIRHAN URGES PEACE ROADMAP
DEM Party Co-Chair Tuncer Bakırhan emphasized the significance of the upcoming meeting with Erdoğan, calling for continued dialogue to bolster internal peace amid growing regional instability.
Speaking during his party’s group meeting, Bakırhan expressed hope that the talks would yield a concrete roadmap centered on peace, democracy, and the rule of law. “We believe that the discussions our delegations will hold can usher in a period that will offer Turkey a breath of fresh air,” he said. “We anticipate that this climate of peace will soon be reflected in real life.”
Bakırhan also highlighted the Turkish Parliament’s responsibility to end injustice and push for democratization, urging the immediate formation of a new commission to oversee the disarmament process and broader reforms.
“If the commission is results-oriented and properly structured, it will undoubtedly help pave the way for democracy in Turkey,” he concluded.
FIRST PKK DISARMAMENT CEREMONY EXPECTED BETWEEN JULY 3–10
The first symbolic step in the PKK's disarmament is set to take place between July 3 and 10, according to information published by the Kurdish media outlet Rudaw.
A group of 20 to 30 PKK members is expected to lay down their weapons in a formal ceremony in Sulaymaniyah, northern Iraq, with media presence anticipated.
Sources denied speculation that the disarmed individuals would be relocated to cities in the Kurdistan Region or Iraq, stating instead that they would return to their original bases following the ceremony.
The disarmament is being framed as a goodwill gesture intended to pave the way for a renewed peace process in Turkey, said the report.
MESSAGE FROM ÖCALAN TO EUROPEAN DELEGATION
A delegation of 39 people—including academics, parliamentarians, legal experts, and journalists—arrived in Istanbul from European countries as part of the campaign called “I Want to Visit Abdullah Öcalan.”
The group held a roundtable meeting in a central Istanbul hotel, followed by a statement released in both Turkish and English.
PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan sent a message to the delegation that wanted to visit him.
“I see your step in this direction as a meaningful contribution and a courageous call for the common democratic future of our peoples. I have been informed about your request for a meeting. I hope that the conditions for such a meeting will be created in the coming period,” Öcalan said.
PKK EXECUTIVE WARNS OF STATE FACTION UNDERMINING PEACE TALKS
Mustafa Karasu, a senior figure in the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), the political umbrella of the outlawed PKK, said a faction within the Turkish state is attempting to sabotage ongoing efforts to resolve the Kurdish issue.
In an interview aired on the pro-Kurdish Medya Haber TV, Karasu warned that continued military operations — including the alleged use of chemical weapons — risk collapsing any emerging peace prospects.
“People on the ground will defend themselves,” Karasu said. “You go there to kill, to use chemical agents and banned weapons. This is very serious. We interpret this as an effort by certain elements within the state to undermine the process.”
Commenting on conditions at İmralı Island, where Öcalan has been imprisoned since 1999, Karasu said limited visits should not be mistaken for the end of what he called ongoing “severe isolation.”
“There have been some recent visits to İmralı, but these are not enough,” he said. “Lawyers and family members cannot visit Öcalan freely, unlike other prisoners.”
FIRST CEREMONY PLANNED IN IRAQI KURDISTAN
The disarmament is set to begin later next week, likely in the presence of senior KCK officials. A group of 30 to 50 fighters is expected to participate in the ceremony, which will be attended by political party representatives, journalists, writers, academics, and civil society figures from both Turkey and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, reported Ceren Bayar from T24.
Details remain unclear on whether the weapons will be handed over to a third party or destroyed on site. Discussions reportedly continue on controlled disposal.
The disarmament ceremony is expected to be held around July 11 in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, under the observation of political figures, journalists, and international representatives, wrote Namık Durukan from T24.
The next key step is a video message from Öcalan, expected within days. The call to disarm will follow a planned July 9 meeting between Erdoğan and a delegation from the pro-Kurdish DEM Party and the delegation is expected to meet with Öcalan after that meeting, he wrote.
Öcalan’s message will reportedly address the organization's obligations in the new phase and urge Parliament to act on legal and political reforms that could enable integration of militants into civilian life. The group is expected to begin by symbolically surrendering weapons, with larger disarmament waves to follow depending on legal guarantees from the Turkish state, he added.
