Shafaq News – Ankara

On Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the elimination of “terrorism” benefits Turkiye’s neighbors, including Iraq, stressing that Ankara doesn't accept any form of “terrorism” within its borders or in surrounding countries.

Speaking after a government meeting in Ankara, Erdogan said, “Weapons will achieve nothing and will benefit no one.” He added, “Over the past 40 years, we have endured great suffering and paid a heavy price.”

Erdogan vowed that the Turkish government and people are determined to see a Turkiye free of terrorism. “Fully eliminating terrorism could lead to significant tourism growth in eastern and southeastern Anatolia, [the Asian part of Turkiye].”

The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) announced on 12 May 2025 that it had formally dissolved its organization and ended its armed campaign against Turkiye, following a call in February from its imprisoned founder, Abdullah Ocalan, to disarm and disband.

Months afterward, some fighters began withdrawing from Turkish territory into northern Iraq, and symbolic disarmament events took place, signaling the start of what Turkiye described as a transition toward peace and integration.

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