The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) is set to begin its long-anticipated disarmament process this week, with the first group of fighters expected to hand over their weapons in Iraq’s Sulaymaniyah Province between July 10 and 12.

Zagros Hiwa, a spokesperson for the Union of Kurdistan Communities (KCK), the PKK’s political wing, confirmed to the Associated Press that between 20 to 30 fighters will surrender their arms under the supervision of civil society groups and relevant parties.

The move follows the PKK’s announcement in May 2025 that it would dissolve its armed wing and abandon its decades-long insurgency against Turkey, marking a potential turning point in one of the Middle East’s most protracted conflicts.

The decision to disarm traces back to imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, who in February called for the group to formally disband and pursue a political solution. Despite being incarcerated for 25 years, the 76-year-old leader remains a pivotal figure within the movement.

Hiwa emphasized that further disarmament steps depend on Turkey lifting Öcalan’s prison isolation and implementing legal and political reforms to allow former fighters to participate in democratic politics.

A senior official from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), speaking anonymously, revealed that an agreement had been reached for a "symbolic destruction of light weapons" to demonstrate the PKK’s commitment to peace. KRG representatives are expected to attend the handover ceremony.

In Ankara, Ömer Çelik, spokesperson for Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), confirmed that the PKK could begin surrendering arms "in the coming days." He also noted that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will meet next week with members of the pro-Kurdish Equality and Democracy of Peoples Party (DEM) to discuss the peace process.

The PKK, designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the EU, has waged an armed struggle since 1984, resulting in over 40,000 deaths.

The Turkish government launched its "Terror-Free Turkey" initiative in October 2024, while Kurdish groups frame the process as a "solution to the Kurdish issue."