Shafaq News – Baghdad

Iraq and Turkiye agreed to dismantle the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and its armed units, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said on Sunday.

The PKK, designated a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the United States, and the European Union, operates from northern Iraq. The group earlier declared an end to its four-decade armed campaign and held a disarmament ceremony in the Qandil Mountains, though Ankara has continued strikes on what it says are remaining PKK positions across the border.

During a joint press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Hussein said both sides aim to secure Makhmour and Sinjar, where PKK fighters remain active, and to reach a lasting settlement to end their presence.

Fidan said Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) are coordinating closely to eliminate the group’s positions, urging the PKK to end armed activity and withdraw from Iraq and Syria.

The coordination follows Iraq’s 2024 decision to classify the PKK as an illegal entity and establish a joint security mechanism with Turkiye and the KRG. Ankara’s cross-border operations have reportedly strained relations in the past, but both governments now frame cooperation as essential for stabilizing northern Iraq and protecting trade corridors.

Read more: PKK calls it quits: Peace on the horizon in Turkiye?