Ankara: The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) announced this morning the withdrawal of all its members from Turkey to northern Iraq. This decision marks a significant step following the party's earlier declaration of disarmament, which concluded its long-standing armed conflict with Ankara after more than forty years.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Abdullah Ocalan, the historical leader of the PKK who has been imprisoned in Turkey since 1999, announced last March the end of the armed struggle that the party had waged against the Turkish state. Ocalan called for a complete shift toward democratic politics and the rule of law, emphasizing a peaceful approach to resolving conflicts.

The PKK's announcement of its dissolution and disarmament on May 12 effectively ended more than four decades of insurgency against the Turkish state. This conflict resulted in at least 45,000 deaths, marking a tumultuous period in the region's history. The withdrawal of PKK members signifies a potential new chapter in relations between the Turkish state and the Kurdish population.