Members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) have begun the process of disarmament, pledging to pursue their struggle through democratic and political means.

A small ceremony was held on Friday in Sulaymaniyah, where approximately 20 to 30 PKK fighters destroyed their weapons rather than surrender them to any state authority.

The move comes after a call by Abdullah Ocalan, the PKK’s imprisoned leader, who in recent months urged his followers to adopt “the power of politics and social peace” over armed struggle.

In a statement released by the Group for Peace and Democratic Society, which attended the disarmament ceremony, PKK members declared:

“In order to ensure the practical success of the ‘Peace and Democratic Society’ process, to wage our freedom, democracy and socialist struggle with methods of legal and democratic politics on the basis of enacting laws for democratic integration, we voluntarily destroy our weapons, before your presence, as a step of goodwill and determination.”

The conflict has claimed more than 40,000 lives, left entire regions scarred by violence, and shaped Turkish politics and security policies for decades. The current disarmament process is the first serious step towards permanently ending the group’s armed operations.

PKK members stated their actions were in direct response to Ocalan’s call on June 19, as well as earlier resolutions from the PKK’s 12th Congress held in May. They emphasized:

“We agree wholeheartedly with the remarks of Leader Abdullah Ocalan who maintained, ‘I believe not in the arms, but in the power of politics and social peace and call on you to put this principle into practice’. We take great pride and honor in doing what is necessary for this historic principle.”

The ceremony was conducted under tight security and is expected to continue in stages throughout the summer, with weapons being destroyed in areas under PKK control rather than handed to government forces. The group stated:

“Quite the contrary, all gains came at heavy costs, through struggling tooth and claw. And what follows will definitely need compelling struggle. We are well aware of this fact, and with the aim of securing more democratic gains, we wholeheartedly believe in the insight and paradigm of Leader Abdullah Ocalan as we trust ourselves and the collective power of our community of comrades.”

They also called upon “regional and global forces responsible for the sufferings of our people, to respect the utmost legitimate democratic and national rights of our people and support the process of Peace and Democratic Society.”

Yet the PKK members reiterated their commitment to peace, concluding:

“Oppression and exploitation will end; freedom and solidarity will prevail. The process of Peace and Democratic Society will surely succeed.”