Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Saturday that Turkey has “won” following the disarmament of Kurdish PKK fighters, bringing an end to a violent struggle that spanned nearly four decades.
His statement came a day after a symbolic ceremony in Iraq’s Kurdistan region, where members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) formally destroyed their weapons—a move seen as a major step toward the group’s transition from armed militancy to democratic political engagement.
“Turkey has won. Eighty-six million citizens have won,” Erdogan declared. “We know what we are doing. No one needs to worry or ask questions. Everything we are doing is for Turkey, for our future.”
Founded in 1978 by Kurdish students in Ankara, the PKK launched its armed campaign in 1984, seeking greater autonomy and rights for the Kurdish people. The conflict has since claimed over 40,000 lives and has long been one of the most intractable and violent disputes in the region.
The disarmament marks a significant turning point, potentially opening a new chapter of peace and political inclusion for the Kurdish movement in Turkey.
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