Baghdad reaffirmed on Sunday its strong support for the ongoing peace talks between the Turkish government and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a week after the group announced the withdrawal of all its fighters from Turkey to northern Iraq.
Following talks with Turkish authorities through the Equality and Democracy of Peoples Party in October 2024, the PKK announced its dissolution in May after more than four decades of armed conflict with Turkish forces.
Over the past decade, most of the group’s fighters have taken refuge in the mountainous regions of northern Iraq, where Turkey has maintained military bases for 25 years and has regularly launched ground and air operations against them.
Last week, the PKK declared the withdrawal of all its forces from Turkish territory to northern Iraq, urging Ankara to move forward with the necessary legal measures to safeguard the peace process.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said during a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan in Baghdad:
“We strongly support the ongoing talks between the Turkish government and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, and we look forward to an agreement in this regard.”
For his part, Fidan stated,
“Ending the PKK’s armed activities in Turkey is of great importance to us. These activities must also cease in Iraq, Syria, and even Iran to ensure the region’s stability, security, and to prevent foreign interference.”
He added that the PKK currently occupies “very large areas in Iraq,” emphasizing Turkey’s close cooperation with Iraqi authorities, and thanked both Baghdad and Erbil for their collaboration.
Turkey has formed a parliamentary committee to lay the groundwork for the peace process with the PKK, including drafting the legal framework for the group’s transition from armed struggle to political participation.
The committee’s mandate is expected to continue until the end of this year, with a possible two-month extension if necessary.
During his visit to Baghdad on Sunday, Fidan also announced that the two countries will sign “an important and unprecedented agreement on water,” without providing further details.
