Turkey to continue operations against PKK until 'region is cleared': defense ministry

ANKARA,— Turkey’s military will continue operations against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in areas where it operates, despite the group’s recent decision to disband, the country’s defense ministry said on Thursday.

“The armed forces will continue operations in regions utilized by the separatist PKK terrorist group with full determination until the area is entirely cleared and no longer poses a threat to Turkey,” a ministry spokesperson said at a press briefing.

He added that ongoing activities include “ground sweeps, identification and destruction of caves, shelters, mines, and improvised explosive devices.”

The statement follows the PKK’s announcement earlier this week that it is formally dissolving and ending its long-running armed campaign, which has caused tens of thousands of deaths since the 1980s.

Despite the announcement, a senior defense source said Turkey’s military stance remains unchanged. “This declaration doesn’t mean the danger has passed. We suspect some elements within the group may oppose the decision,” the official said.

Turkey has long carried out cross-border air and ground operations against the group in Iraq’s Kurdistan region (Bashur).

Ankara also claims that the PKK is active in northern Syria, where Turkish forces maintain military outposts in Kurdish areas they occupy and have conducted several operations since 2016. However, Kurdish-led SDF forces deny the presence of the PKK in Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava).

Turkish intelligence officials will lead monitoring of the disarmament process, according to the source. The MIT will coordinate with security bodies in Iraq and Syria to oversee the surrender of weapons and gather details on militants.

“This role cannot be performed by our armed forces abroad, but we will support the effort from our bases in those regions,” the official added. “Our deployments in Iraq and Syria will stay in place as long as required.”

Authorities said no international organizations would be involved. “We will not permit third-party intervention, including by the United Nations. Local problems should be solved by the countries involved,” the defense source said.

Weapons collection and registration will reportedly occur at designated locations in Turkey, Iraq, and Syria.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday that Turkish intelligence will closely monitor the process to ensure all commitments are upheld.

The PKK launched an armed campaign against the Turkish state in 1984, demanding greater autonomy for Kurds in southeastern Turkey, commonly referred to as Turkish Kurdistan (Bakur Kurdistan).

To this day, Turkey does not recognize Kurdish identity in its constitution. Kurds make up an estimated 30% of the country’s population of 85 million.

The conflict has claimed the lives of over 40,000 people, with both Turkish security forces and Kurdish fighters killed.

The PKK has primarily targeted military and government security installations, following a stated policy of strictly avoiding civilian casualties. This strategy has led many international organizations and human rights groups to call on governments to reconsider the PKK’s designation as a terrorist organization.

(With files from AFP | Agencies)