PHOTOS: Historic disarmament: Kurdish PKK-affiliated group surrenders weapons

After nearly five decades of armed insurgency, a faction affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has symbolically surrendered its weapons, initiating a process expected to see all elements lay down their arms within the next three to five months. This pivotal step comes in direct response to a call from the PKK's imprisoned historical leader, Abdullah Öcalan, who is held in Turkey.

The "Peace and Democratic Society Group," comprising approximately 30 armed individuals, chose the historic Sajnha Cave in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq for the disarmament ceremony. The event was led by prominent PKK figures Bese Hozat and Nedim Seven. The group handed over a cache of weapons, including Kalashnikov rifles, sniper rifles, automatic machine guns, and pistols, to representatives of Turkish and Iraqi security agencies. The surrendered weapons were placed in special containers and subsequently destroyed by burning.

Reports indicate that media access to the cave ceremony was limited, with only representatives from the PKK's own media and official Turkish institutions present. Other journalists gathered at a distant hotel in the Dukan tourist resort to cover a recorded broadcast of the event on a large screen.

In a speech delivered in both Turkish and Kurdish, Bese Hozat, a figure on Turkey's most-wanted list, stated, "We are destroying our weapons before you, by our free will, and on the basis of enacting democratic integration laws." Local media in the Kurdistan Region noted that Hozat's rare public appearance added significant political weight to the event. While some Kurdish media claimed Mustafa Karasu, another key PKK figure, also surrendered his weapon, sources close to the PKK and attendees denied his participation.

Historical significance of the cave

The choice of Sajnha Cave for the ceremony carried profound historical symbolism for the Kurdish community. It was to this cave that Mahmud Barzanji, a Kurdish political leader known as the "King of Kurdistan," had sought refuge after areas in Sulaymaniyah came under attack by British Royal Air Force aircraft in 1923. From this very cave, Barzanji, later exiled to India, issued "Bang-i Haq," the first newspaper speaking for his government, before becoming the ruler of Southern Kurdistan.

During the 1980s and 1990s, the cave also gained strategic importance for Kurdish Peshmerga forces, serving as a vital refuge during the years of rebellion against Saddam Hussein's regime in the regions of Surdash, Dukan, and the Pira Magrun mountain range.

Ceremony details, attendees

The ceremony was held at 12:00 PM (GMT+2) with the presence of security forces affiliated with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), a party with strong influence in Sulaymaniyah. PUK forces oversaw the transfer of PKK fighters from their base in Qandil to the cave area and ensured their return after the ceremony.

Representatives from Turkish intelligence and security agencies also attended, alongside politicians and parliamentarians from the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party). Among them were veteran politician Ahmet Türk, the ousted Mayor of Mardin, and Sezai Temelli, the Deputy Parliamentary Group Leader for the DEM Party. Both Türk and Temelli had participated in visits to Öcalan in İmralı prison, with Türk being part of the delegation that attended Öcalan's "Peace and Democratic Society" call on February 27, and Temelli joining the delegation after the passing of MP Sırrı Süreyya Önder in April.

Öcalan's Call, PKK's Statement

In a statement released concurrently with the ceremony, the faction asserted it destroyed its weapons out of "free will" in response to "Leader Apo's" (Abdullah Öcalan's) call.

The statement, delivered by Bese Hozat, Co-Chair of the PKK Executive Committee, affirmed: "We are here now in response to the call of the Kurdish people's leader, Abdullah Öcalan, to ensure the practical success of the peace and democratic society process, and to wage our struggle for freedom, democracy, and socialism through political, legal, and democratic methods, on the basis of enacting laws for democratic integration. We are voluntarily destroying our weapons before you, as a step of good faith and determination."

The statement emphasized that amid escalating pressures and "fascist exploitation" globally, and the ongoing "bloodshed in the Middle East," the Kurdish people urgently need a peaceful, free, equal, and democratic life. It called on youth, women, socialist and democratic forces, and all peoples to recognize, appreciate, and support the historic value of these steps toward peace and democracy.

While the burning of weapons was symbolic, indicating the PKK's seriousness in destroying its arms, the ultimate fate of all PKK weaponry and its full disposal remains unclear. It is anticipated that specific handover points will be designated along the Turkish-Iraqi border for the full disarmament process.

Widespread Welcome

The initial step towards disarming the PKK was met with a welcome in both Erbil and Ankara. Nechirvan Barzani, President of the Kurdistan Region, described it as an "important and joyous step towards the success of the peace process," affirming it would "move the peace process to a new stage, and practical steps will follow to advance the process on the right track."

Bafel Jalal Talabani, head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, also hailed the surrender of PKK fighters' weapons as a "historic step towards a new phase," hoping it would lead to "normalizing relations and stabilizing the Kurdistan Region."

In Turkey, the primary party concerned by the development, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan described the PKK's initiation of disarmament on Friday as an "important step that will lead to positive results," according to Anadolu Agency.

Who are the PKK?

The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) is a Kurdish militant and political organization founded in the late 1970s. It launched an armed insurgency against the Turkish state in 1984, seeking greater Kurdish rights and autonomy in Turkey. The conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives. The PKK is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union. Its leader, Abdullah Öcalan, has been imprisoned in Turkey since 1999. The group operates primarily from bases in mountainous regions of northern Iraq.