Speaker urges PKK to accelerate disarmament, dissolution

ANKARA

Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş has said PKK must rapidly advance its process of laying down arms, calling on the terror group to hasten its dissolution so that Türkiye can clear the “bog” behind terrorism and move toward lasting peace.

In remarks during an interview with state-run Anadolu Agency on Aug. 29, Kurtulmuş said eliminating terrorism requires more than symbolic steps — it demands uprooting the deeper systemic factors:

"What matters is eliminating all the elements behind terrorism and drying up the swamp that sustains it," he said. "For this to happen, the PKK needs to speed up its process of disarming and dissolving itself."

Kurtulmuş heads the newly formed National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission. The panel was established following PKK’s announcement of its decision to dissolve and symbolic gestures of disarmament.

The commission is charged with overseeing and channeling proposals related to the government's "terror-free Türkiye" initiative.

Kurtulmuş praised the commission’s inclusive structure, which includes all political parties in the parliament except the İYİ (Good) Party. He noted decisions are being made with a qualified majority, often above the two-thirds threshold.

Asked about timelines, Kurtulmuş said that although no fixed date can be guaranteed, he believes the anti-terrorism process may be completed well before the end of 2025. The parliament has set Dec. 31 as the current target for concluding the commission’s work — subject to possible extension if needed.

Kurtulmuş framed the effort as a historic opportunity for Türkiye and the Middle East. Eliminating terrorism can pave the way to a "terror-free Türkiye" — and potentially a broader peace across Syria, Iraq and the region.

He stressed the importance of public trust and political responsibility in ensuring no setbacks derail the process.