PKK terror group to surrender weapons in Northern Iraq, Türkiye monitors
PKK terror group to surrender weapons in Northern Iraq, Türkiye monitors ANKARA A group of 50 PKK members will surrender their weapons in Duhok, northern Iraq, within 10 days, marking a new phase in the terrorist group’s dissolution process, security sources said.class='cf'> The move follows the PKK’s self-dissolution on May 12, spurred by Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli’s call and the involvement of jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan. The weapons handover, delayed by recent regional tensions after Israel’s attack on Iran, will take place in a Duhok area 160 kilometers from Türkiye’s border. Observers from Türkiye, Iraq’s central government, and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) will oversee the process, recording the serial numbers, origins, and specifications of the surrendered arms. No U.N. or third-country involvement is planned. The PKK members will return to their camps after the handover, with the process closely monitored by Turkish authorities. Real-time reports will track developments on the ground. If successful, the PKK is expected to fully disarm by September, with its camps then handed over to Iraqi control.class='cf'> Turkish authorities aim to ensure the process advances smoothly, with the goal of removing the PKK’s armed presence. The process gained momentum after lawmakers from the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) were allowed to visit jailed PKK leader Öcalan on the İmralı prison island. Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) head Ibrahim Kalın visited northern Iraq on Tuesday for high-level talks with Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) officials. Turkish security sources said Kalın met several senior figures in Erbil, including Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Masoud Barzani, KRG President Nechirvan Barzani, KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, Interior Minister Reber Ahmed, and officials from the KRG’s Security Council. The "Terror-Free Türkiye" initiative was a key topic addressed, with both sides exchanging views on upcoming joint efforts to eliminate terrorism from the region and remove it from the regional agenda. disarmament,