The Kurdistan Workers’ Party will start laying down its weapons in a tightly guarded ceremony near Suleymaniyah in Iraq on Friday, launching what Ankara and Kurdish leaders call the first real step towards ending more than 40 years of conflict that has claimed more than 40,000 lives.
A small PKK delegation is expected to surrender arms at an undisclosed site in Iraq’s Kurdish region before returning to its mountain bases, officials briefed on the arrangements said. Broader disarmament points—jointly overseen by the Turkish, Iraqi and Kurdistan regional authorities—are due to operate throughout the summer.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed the move as “totally ripping off and throwing away the bloody shackles that were put on our country’s legs,” describing it as an historic chance to dismantle what Türkiye, the U.S., the EU and the UK classify as a terrorist organisation.
Imprisoned PKK founder Abdullah Ocalan, held in solitary confinement on Imrali Island since 1999, urged the group in a rare video message “to put politics and social peace, not weapons, into practice.” Kurdish analysts say the 76-year-old still commands decisive authority among supporters.
The latest push follows an initiative by nationalist leader Devlet Bahçeli last October to create a “terror-free Türkiye.” Ocalan’s February letter calling for the PKK to dissolve itself paved the way for a unilateral ceasefire and Friday’s ceremony.
A parliamentary commission in Ankara will draft next steps after the summer recess, though officials stress no decision on easing Ocalan’s prison terms—or any wider amnesty—will be taken before MPs vote on the panel’s recommendations.
If successful, analysts say the demobilisation could reshape security dynamics not only in Türkiye but also in neighbouring Iraq, Syria and Iran, where PKK-linked groups operate.
Jeffrey D. Sachs, an economist, public policy analyst, Columbia University professor, and UN advisor, said Azerbaijan and the wider South Caucasus ...
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Jeffrey D. Sachs, an economist, public policy analyst, Columbia University professor, and UN advisor, said Azerbaijan and the wider South Caucasus could become one of the world’s key strategic connectors in an emerging multipolar order.
Israeli airstrikes killed at least seven Palestinians in Gaza on Friday (15 May), including a child, as Israel said it had launched an operation targeting Hamas military commander Izz al-Din al-Haddad.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of central London on Saturday (16 May) as two large-scale protests unfolded simultaneously - one focused on immigration and national identity, the other held in support of Palestinians and to mark Nakba Day.
At least eight people have died and 32 others were injured after a freight train collided with a public bus at a railway crossing in Bangkok on Saturday (16 May), triggering a fire that quickly spread through the vehicle.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran has “no trust” in the United States and will only consider negotiations if Washington shows seriousness. His remarks came as talks on Iran’s nuclear programme continued, with Trump and Xi also opposing Iran acquiring nuclear weapons.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington could destroy Iran’s infrastructure “in two days,” while Tehran warned the U.S. would face growing economic costs from the conflict. The remarks came as Hezbollah reported new attacks on Israeli forces despite an extended Lebanon ceasefire.
The second semi-final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest 2026 takes place tonight in a rain-soaked Vienna, with the final 10 places in Saturday’s grand final still up for grabs.
Russia and Ukraine exchanged prisoners of war as well as the bodies of fallen soldiers, on Friday (15 May). The swap came as Ukranian officials said Moscow had carried out its largest aerial attack over 48 hours since the conflict started.
A high-powered lawyer representing Elon Musk attacked the personal and professional credibility of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on Thursday, as a landmark federal trial in California nears its conclusion.
China has launched the world’s first experiment to study how artificial human embryos develop in space, marking a major step in understanding whether humans could one day reproduce beyond Earth.
Every day, an elderly woman in China’s Shandong province looks forward to a video call from her son. He asks about her health, tells her he has been busy with work, and promises he will come home once he has saved enough money. She tells him she misses him. He tells her to take care of herself.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of central London on Saturday (16 May) as two large-scale protests unfolded simultaneously - one focused on immigration and national identity, the other held in support of Palestinians and to mark Nakba Day.
At least eight people have died and 32 others were injured after a freight train collided with a public bus at a railway crossing in Bangkok on Saturday (16 May), triggering a fire that quickly spread through the vehicle.
President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping sought to project stability and renewed dialogue during a closely watched summit in Beijing this week, even as major disagreements over Taiwan, trade and global security remained unresolved.
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