The Kurdish Workers' organization (PKK) launched an armed uprising against Turkey on Friday in Iraqi As-Sulajmanija. About 30 militants donated their weapons as part of the first phase of the disarmament process. The process is expected to take respective months and will be supervised by Turkish intelligence and armed forces.
Representatives of the Turkish Kurds have announced that they destruct their weapons of their own free will, with the aim of fighting for freedom through democratic political and legal methods. This information was provided by the Kurdish information agency ANF.
The Turkish paper "Daily Sabah" reported that about 30 PKK militants had donated weapons as part of the Friday ceremony. It should take respective months to complete the process of laying down arms.
Government oversees disarmament
Ombudsman of Turkey's Justice and improvement organization (ACP) Omer Celik said on Thursday on tv NTV that the mechanics would be supervised by Turkish intelligence and the country's armed forces. He warned that the disarmament process had to be completed within 3 to 5 months.
"If we exceed this period, the hazard of provocation will be high" - warned Celik. The Turkish authorities consider the timely completion of the process as crucial to maintaining stability.
Turkey delegation attends ceremony
On Friday, Turkish agency Bianet reported that about 140 people from Turkey attended the ceremony of surrender. The delegation consists of politicians of the largest Kurdish organization of the country - DEM, and intellectuals, human rights defenders and journalists.
Participants left Diyarbakir, Turkey's largest city with most Kurdish, Thursday evening. For safety reasons, the event will not be reported live, and all electronic equipment of the participants will be taken from them during the ceremony.
End of 40-year conflict
PKK, an organisation considered terrorist by Turkey, the EU and the USA, announced on 12 May the end of the 40-year armed uprising against Turkey. any 40,000 people died as a consequence of this conflict.
In fresh years, the Turkish army's conflict with Kurdish guerrillas was primarily fought in the north of Iraq, in the autonomous Kurdistan region. Both PKK and Turkey keep military bases there. Turkey besides launched offensives against the Syrian Kurds, which it considers to be a subsidiary of PKK.
(PAP) Note: This article was edited with Artificial Intelligence.
