Turkish security sources said Monday that the terrorist group PKK had evacuated four accommodation areas in Metina, a region in northern Iraq, as a process aimed at the group’s full disarmament continued. The statements confirmed remarks by a senior PKK figure who claimed the group had left tunnels in Metina on Oct. 8.
The development comes amid the “terror-free Türkiye” initiative, launched in 2024 to secure the dissolution of the terrorist group. Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, who plays a key role in the initiative, said Monday that the process was advancing positively.
Sources said the Hebat, Yajk, Sabri and Sason shelter areas in Metina’s Baze region were evacuated on Oct. 8, while Turkish media outlets broadcast footage showing PKK members leaving the areas, which served as terrorist hideouts. The footage showed empty tunnels and members of the group walking away with their belongings.
Earlier, Murat Karayılan, a senior PKK figure, said in an interview that the group had completed its withdrawal from Metina to demonstrate that it posed no threat to Türkiye. Karayılan also claimed that the PKK had ordered its clandestine units in major cities, including Istanbul, to withdraw. Security sources said the shelter areas had posed a security risk to Türkiye and described the PKK’s withdrawal as decisive progress in the process.
The sources described the move as an indication that the process was continuing, saying efforts under the initiative were aimed at strengthening regional stability and reinforcing Turkish-Kurdish fraternity.
Following the termination of the PKK’s activities in all areas, members of the group who return to Türkiye under prospective legal arrangements are expected to undergo a social integration process. Comprehensive programs in areas including education and the economy are also planned to facilitate their reintegration into society.
The sources said the broader process aims to establish lasting domestic peace in Türkiye and enable all segments of society to live together in peace and security. They added that steps taken under the initiative were intended to strengthen regional stability and social cohesion.
The initiative was launched in 2024 by Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the government’s ally, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). Bahçeli, who has long taken a hard-line stance against the PKK and previously called for the execution of its jailed ringleader, Abdullah Öcalan, argued that the group’s dissolution would serve Turkish-Kurdish unity amid growing threats to Türkiye’s security and existence.
Öcalan responded to Bahçeli’s call by instructing the PKK to lay down its arms. The group complied in 2025, beginning to destroy its weapons at a ceremony in northern Iraq in a symbolic move. Since then, Turkish intelligence has been monitoring progress toward full disarmament.
Meanwhile, the Turkish Parliament passed legislation in August providing for the deferral of sentences and prosecution for PKK members who were not involved in deadly terrorist acts.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA) on Monday, Yılmaz, who chairs a state board overseeing the initiative, said the process was “progressing positively” after becoming state policy.
“This has become a state policy, and with the work being carried out within this framework, the terror-free Türkiye process is moving forward on its course and in a positive direction,” he said.
Yılmaz said legislation aimed at strengthening national solidarity and social integration had been adopted by Parliament with 467 votes following lengthy deliberations in a commission, creating a model unique to Türkiye.
He said Türkiye had reached a “historic opportunity” to resolve an issue that had accumulated over decades and, according to government estimates, had cost the country at least $2.3 trillion.
Yılmaz also described the process as a major window of opportunity, stressing that resources devoted to counterterrorism could instead be directed toward the country’s development and higher democratic standards.
“We will redirect the energy we have spent on fighting terrorism toward development and improving our democratic standards and living standards. We see this as a major window of opportunity,” he said.
'Century of brotherhood'
He said permanently ending terrorism would usher in a new era for Türkiye’s democracy and development, adding that the government’s “Century of Türkiye” vision would also be a “century of peace and brotherhood.”
The vice president linked the initiative to a broader regional vision, saying resources in countries such as Iraq and Syria should benefit their own populations. He said Türkiye aims to strengthen peace and security at home while helping establish an environment of stability and prosperity across the region.
Yılmaz said the legislation establishing the framework for the process envisaged two main stages.
The first involves the laying down of arms, verification of disarmament on the ground and confirmation by Türkiye’s National Security Council that weapons have been surrendered and the organization dissolved, he said.
The second stage provides for the temporary supervised release of individuals convicted of certain offenses, with applications to be submitted within a six-month period. He said four subcommittees had been established under the Monitoring and Evaluation Board, with the Judicial and Legal Affairs Coordination Subcommittee and the Social Cohesion and Integration Subcommittee preparing for their roles in the second stage.
On disarmament, Yılmaz said there had been positive developments on the ground but cautioned that such processes were difficult and required patience. He cited the evacuation of some caves in sensitive areas near Türkiye’s border and steps to remove structures that posed security threats.
Yılmaz also pointed to developments in Iraq, including the transfer of control over the Sinjar region to the Iraqi government and the completion of the mission of Türkiye’s Bashiqa camp.
“There is positive progress on the ground, but these are difficult processes. After all, these are processes shaped by many years. We need to follow the process patiently and move toward the goal step by step,” he said.
Yılmaz stressed that the decision to dissolve the organization and lay down its arms had been taken by the PKK itself, adding that Ankara expected the group to implement those decisions gradually.
“We expect them to take these steps gradually. We will verify and identify developments on the ground and submit them to the relevant bodies,” he said.
He added that Parliament was also expected to establish a structure to monitor the entire process, noting that the parliamentary speaker had begun consultations with political parties on the issue.
Yılmaz stressed that Türkiye was addressing the issue through its own institutions without seeking outside mediation.
“Türkiye is a country that resolves its own problems without taking them to another power, a third party or an international organization,” he said. “If it achieves complete success, I believe this will be a success story that sets an example for the world,” he added.
Yılmaz said the process required cooperation among Parliament, the government and civil society, arguing that it should transcend party politics. He also expressed hope that the broad parliamentary cooperation seen in the process could be replicated on other major national issues, including efforts to draft a new constitution.
