Turkish authorities said Monday that 134 members of the PKK terrorist group have surrendered to security forces since the beginning of the year through government outreach and persuasion efforts.
The Interior Ministry noted the surrenders resulted from operations coordinated by the intelligence units of the Gendarmerie General Command and the National Police, together with the Police Department's Counterterrorism Division.
According to the ministry, those who surrendered include two members listed in the group's gray category and one listed in the yellow category, classifications used by Turkish authorities to rank the wanted.
The ministry said 115 of the surrendered suspects have been arrested pending trial, while 14 were released under judicial control measures. Judicial proceedings are continuing for the remaining five individuals.
In a statement, the Interior Ministry said security forces would continue operations against terrorist groups targeting Türkiye's security and national unity.
Türkiye, the United States and the European Union have designated the PKK as a terrorist group. The PKK has waged an armed insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984, a conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people.
The PKK announced in October 2025 that it had started withdrawing from Türkiye as part of the terror-free Türkiye initiative, months after it began abandoning arms in northern Iraq.
The terror-free initiative launched by a government ally in 2024 has entered into a new phase: the withdrawal. In a ceremony in Iraq, the group made a statement about the process, with some members, reportedly those who left Türkiye for the withdrawal, in attendance.
