The first phase of the disarmament of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) kicked off with a ceremony in northern Iraq, marking the implementation of its dissolution and the resolution of its conflict with Turkey, a political process brokered by Ankara and Abdullah Öcalan.

Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in Turkey reported that the first group of PKK fighters started surrendering their weapons on Friday, marking the beginning of a disarmament process in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region as part of the party’s decision to abandon armed conflict.

These ceremonies mark a pivotal stage in the transition from armed struggle to political engagement, following the party's official announcement of its dissolution on May 12, in response to a call made by its leader, Abdullah Öcalan, from his prison on İmralı Island on February 27.

The ceremony was held today at an unspecified location near the city of Sulaymaniyah in northeastern Iraq, with attendance including members of the Equality and Peoples' Democracy Party, Turkey's third-largest political bloc, along with several journalists covering the event.

مشاهد من موقع تسليم حزب العمال الكردستاني سلاحه في #السليمانية، شمالي #العراق👇#الميادين pic.twitter.com/EVlLtcl8HA

— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) July 11, 2025

Barzani welcomes PKK's decision to lay down arms

Commenting on the disarmament, Iraqi Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani welcomed the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) decision to lay down arms on Friday, describing it as a “pivotal and encouraging development” for the peace process.

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"We are confident this step will take the peace process into a new phase," Barzani stated, reaffirming his “full commitment to continue supporting the peace process,” particularly at what he called a “critical time for the region.” He urged all parties to “exert every effort possible to achieve peace.”

Barzani also extended his gratitude to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his initiatives and ongoing support in advancing peace efforts. He added, “We also respect the role of Mr. Bahceli and Mr. Öcalan,” acknowledging key political and symbolic figures in the broader process.

Öcalan calls for a mechanism to ensure voluntary disarmament

In a video recording dated June 19 but recently broadcast, Öcalan stated that the new phase requires establishing a mechanism to ensure "the voluntary surrender of weapons" and a transition to legal activities and democratic politics, adding that "the appropriate form for this will be determined and rapid practical steps will be taken."

AFP, citing a PKK official who preferred to remain anonymous, said that approximately 30 fighters would break or burn their weapons "as a goodwill gesture" before returning to the mountains, noting that this step comes as part of implementing an implicit agreement between the party and the Turkish state.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated during remarks made on his return from an economic summit in Azerbaijan that peace efforts with the Kurds "will accelerate somewhat when the terrorist organization begins implementing its decision to lay down arms." In another address to his party members on Wednesday, he expressed hope that this phase would culminate in "swift and incident-free success."

PKK officially disbands

Jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan announced the formal cessation of the banned group's armed campaign against Turkey on July 9, in a video message that constituted his first appearance since he was imprisoned in 1999.

In a June-recorded message published Wednesday by Firat News Agency, Öcalan urged Turkey's parliament to establish a monitoring committee for voluntary disarmament and initiate comprehensive peace efforts.

Öcalan declared that the PKK has abandoned its separatist objectives and national liberation doctrine, asserting that with Kurdish identity now recognized in Turkey, the group's founding purpose has been achieved, making its armed struggle unnecessary.

The jailed leader of the PKK demanded that weapons be publicly handed over to official authorities to ensure transparency and demonstrate commitment to peace, while stressing the need for a legally recognized disarmament process supervised by parliament.

Turkey and the PKK came to an agreement aimed at ending the decades-long armed conflict and transitioning the group entirely into legal political activity, after reaching a ceasefire in March.