Türkiye's parliament speaker says PKK will start handing weapons to Iraq's government in October

Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş said at a joint press conference with visiting Iraqi Parliament Speaker Haibat al-Halbousi that PKK fighters based in Iraq are expected to start surrendering weapons to Iraq's central government next month, part of the "terror-free Türkiye" process. Kurtulmuş called the preparations "of vital importance" and said he hoped the process would also help stability in Syria. The PKK decided to disarm and dissolve in May 2025 after a call from jailed leader Abdullah Öcalan, and parliament passed a law in August giving thousands of members a legal path back to civilian life.

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