Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for strong support of the disarmament process involving Kurdish militants, which recently began with the handover of weapons by members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). This move is seen as a significant step toward resolving a long-standing conflict in the region.

On Friday, thirty PKK militants symbolically destroyed their weapons at the entrance of a cave in northern Iraq, marking an important milestone in efforts to end decades of insurgency against Turkey.

Erdogan described this development as the start of a new chapter for the country, emphasizing that it signals progress toward ending terrorism and opening the way for a stronger Turkey. He highlighted the unifying effect this process has had across the nation and stressed the key role that parliament will play in establishing a legal framework to complete the disarmament.

Plans are underway to create a parliamentary commission that will oversee the disarmament and facilitate the PKK’s transition into democratic political participation.

The PKK, which has been engaged in armed conflict with the Turkish state and banned since 1984, announced in May its decision to disband, disarm, and end its separatist activities, following a call from its imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan.

This initiative follows previous unsuccessful peace attempts and offers a potential path toward ending a conflict that has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, economic challenges, and deep societal divisions in Turkey and the surrounding region.