Türkiye Launches Committee to Oversee PKK Peace Process

(MENAFN) A newly formed parliamentary committee in Türkiye convened for the first time on Tuesday to oversee a peace initiative aimed at bringing an end to the decades-long conflict with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

The 51-member body, which includes representatives from most of the country's major political parties, has been assigned to manage and monitor both the political and legal dimensions of the peace process. The move comes in the wake of the PKK’s recent declaration to disband and renounce armed resistance.

During the committee’s inaugural session, Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus hailed the initiative as a pivotal moment in the nation's history.

"This commission is not an ordinary delegation; it represents the courage to shape our future and the will to strengthen social unity," Kurtulmus said. "We are witnessing the beginning of a new era that reflects the will of the nation," he added.

After his remarks, the session proceeded behind closed doors, with media barred from further coverage.

The PKK has been engaged in armed conflict with the Turkish state since 1984. While it initially pursued the goal of establishing an independent Kurdish state, the group later shifted its focus toward securing increased autonomy and broader rights for Kurds within Türkiye.

Last month, in a symbolic ceremony held in northern Iraq, PKK fighters began surrendering their arms—a significant gesture signaling the group’s intent to permanently abandon its armed campaign.

The disbandment decision followed a February appeal from the group’s imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan—held in custody since 1999—who urged PKK members to convene a congress and officially bring the insurgency to a close.

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