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PKK dissolution and disarmament, 2025
· Türkiye and Kurdistan Region of Iraq
Following Öcalan's call from prison, the PKK announced its dissolution and began a symbolic disarmament process, marking a historic shift after more than four decades of conflict.
What happened
On 27 February 2025, Öcalan called on the PKK, all its affiliated structures and cadres to end their armed struggle and dissolve the organization, laying out a vision of the PKK transforming into a political actor seeking solutions within a democratic and constitutional framework upholding Turkey's territorial integrity.[1]
On 12 May 2025, following its 12th congress, the PKK announced that it had officially dissolved its organizational structure, ended its armed struggle, and terminated all activities conducted under the PKK name; reporting described the conflict as having cost some 40,000 lives over more than three decades.[2]
On 11 July 2025, around 30 PKK members, including some party leaders, took part in a ceremony at Jasana Cave near Dukan, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, in which they laid down and burned their weapons as a symbolic first step of the group's disarmament process.[3]
Sources for this page
Each number marks a specific claim. Notes give the source, its locator and how it relates to the claim.
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1.
Claim: On 27 February 2025, Öcalan called on the PKK, all its affiliated structures and cadres to end their armed struggle and dissolve the organization, laying out a vision of the PKK transforming into a political actor seeking solutions within a democratic and constitutional framework upholding Turkey's territorial integrity.
- Kurdish leader Ocalan told the PKK to disband, it did: Here's what to know (Al Jazeera) link, Öcalan's February 2025 statement section. Source record
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2.
Claim: On 12 May 2025, following its 12th congress, the PKK announced that it had officially dissolved its organizational structure, ended its armed struggle, and terminated all activities conducted under the PKK name, following Öcalan's February 2025 call; reporting described the conflict as having cost some 40,000 lives over more than three decades.
- Kurdish leader Ocalan told the PKK to disband, it did: Here's what to know (Al Jazeera) link, Dissolution announcement section. Source record
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3.
Claim: On 11 July 2025, around 30 PKK members, including some party leaders, took part in a ceremony at Jasana Cave near Dukan, around 60 kilometres northwest of Sulaymaniyah in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, in which they laid down and burned their weapons as a symbolic first step of the group's disarmament process, implementing decisions made at the PKK's 12th congress; the weapons were destroyed rather than handed over to any party or force.
- PKK militants in Iraq begin laying down arms as part of peace process with Turkey (Euronews) link, Ceremony section. Source record