Latest news with #anti-PKK
Rudaw Net
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Iran calls PKK decision to disband ‘important step'
Also in Middle East Syrian president sends FM to Arab League summit in Baghdad Turkey says its anti-PKK operations continue despite progress in peace process Iraq, Jordan, Egypt discuss tripartite cooperation mechanisms Trump to end US sanctions on Damascus, greet Syria's Sharaa in Saudi Arabia A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iranian foreign ministry said on Tuesday that Tehran welcomes the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) decision to dissolve itself and lay down arms, calling the move 'an important step toward renouncing violence and strengthening security.' The PKK on Monday announced its dissolution and the end of its armed struggle against the Turkish state, marking what it described as a step toward a peaceful resolution to the decades-long conflict with Ankara. The announcement followed a party congress held from May 5 to 7 to consider the late February call from jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan to disarm, dissolve the group, and pursue a political struggle. 'We consider the statement announcing the dissolution of the PKK an important step toward renouncing violence and strengthening security, and we hope that the completion of this process will lead to enhanced stability and peace in Turkey and the region,' Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmael Baghaei said in a statement. Iran has been long struggling with Kurdish opposition groups of its own that, like Turkey, it has labeled 'terrorists.' The groups are the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI), Komala, the Free Life Party of Kurdistan (PJAK), and the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK). They were based in the Kurdistan Region close to the border with Iran before they were moved away from the frontier as part of a 2023 security pact signed between Baghdad and Tehran. The PKK is not directly active in Iran, but PJAK, widely seen as its offshoot in Iran, has carried out attacks against Tehran and is banned in Iran. Iran often sentences Kurdish political prisoners to execution on charges of "baghi" armed rebellion for alleged membership in the PKK or other Kurdish opposition groups.
Rudaw Net
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Trump to end US sanctions on Damascus, greet Syria's Sharaa in Saudi Arabia
Also in Middle East Syrian president sends FM to Arab League summit in Baghdad Turkey says its anti-PKK operations continue despite progress in peace process Iraq, Jordan, Egypt discuss tripartite cooperation mechanisms Iran calls PKK decision to disband 'important step' A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he will lift sanctions on Syria as part of a broader push to normalize relations with Damascus. The move comes hours after a White House official confirmed that Trump is expected to 'say hello' to Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa during his visit to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. "I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness," Trump declared during a speech in Riyadh. Earlier in the day, a senior White House official, speaking on background to reporters, including Rudaw's, stated that 'the President has agreed to say hello to the Syrian President while in Saudi Arabia tomorrow [Wednesday].' No further details were provided. The remarks come a day after President Trump on Monday stated that he may ease US sanctions on Syria to allow Damascus a 'fresh start.' 'We're going to have to make a decision on the sanctions, which we may very well relieve. We may take them off of Syria because we want to give them a fresh start,' he said, noting that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and 'many people' had urged him to do so. 'The way we have them sanctioned, it doesn't really give them much of a start. So we want to see if we can help them out. We'll make that determination.' On December 8, a coalition of opposition groups led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), then commanded by Sharaa, ousted the regime of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. Sharaa was appointed interim president in late January. While HTS remains designated as a terrorist organization by the US, Washington previously offered a $10 million reward for Sharaa's capture, but the bounty was dropped in late December. A meeting between the US president and Sharaa would mark a major diplomatic boost for the interim Syrian government. Since taking power, the new leadership in Damascus has repeatedly called on the international community to lift Assad-era sanctions, arguing that they are hindering the country's economic recovery and post-war reconstruction. For its part, the US had issued a six-month sanctions exemption to facilitate humanitarian aid, though Syrian officials have said the move had limited effect. In March, Washington presented Damascus with a list of eight conditions for potential sanctions relief. These included the destruction of any remaining Assad-era chemical weapons and guarantees that no foreign nationals would hold senior positions in the new government. Speaking to Rudaw on Saturday, Syrian Economy Minister Mohammed Nidal al-Shaar notably anticipated stating that the international sanctions issue 'will be resolved in the near future.' The US President's remarks come as he is currently in Saudi Arabia - the first stop on a regional tour that also includes the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. The visit marks a significant diplomatic and economic initiative in his second term, with a strong focus on securing major investment deals and enhancing regional ties. During his stay in Riyadh, Trump secured a landmark $600 billion investment commitment from Saudi Arabia, covering key sectors such as artificial intelligence, energy infrastructure, and healthcare. Additionally, the US and and Saudi Arabia finalized a $142 billion arms deal, reinforcing the strategic and defense cooperation between the two allies.
Rudaw Net
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Syrian president sends FM to Arab League summit in Baghdad
Also in Middle East Turkey says its anti-PKK operations continue despite progress in peace process Iraq, Jordan, Egypt discuss tripartite cooperation mechanisms Trump to end US sanctions on Damascus, greet Syria's Sharaa in Saudi Arabia Iran calls PKK decision to disband 'important step' A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani arrived in Baghdad on Friday for the Arab League summit. He is attending instead of interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa whose invitation to the event was opposed by many in Iraq. On arriving in the Iraqi capital, Shaibani told Iraqi state media that 'Syrian security is shared with Iraq, and we want coordination in various fields." He added that during the summit he will emphasize the end of 'foreign interventions' in Syria. The gathering of Arab leaders will be held on Saturday. Several high-profile figures, including United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, have already arrived in Baghdad to attend the 34th edition of the annual event. Sharaa's office confirmed on Monday that Shaibani would represent Syria at the summit, ending weeks of speculation over whether Sharaa would attend. Sharaa's decision to skip the summit follows controversy over his participation. On Monday night, protesters took to the streets in Iraq's Shiite-majority southern province of Basra, chanting slogans against Sharaa using his nom de guerre 'Jolani.' Demonstrators shouted, 'No, no to Jolani. No, no to terrorism.' The new Syrian leader has jihadist roots. He was elected interim president in late January after a coalition of opposition groups led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) - which he commanded before its dissolution and merger into the Syrian defense ministry - toppled the regime of longtime dictator Bashar al-Assad. While most Arab countries congratulated Sharaa on his appointment as president, Iraq withheld formal recognition, reflecting Baghdad's cautious stance toward the new leadership that has historic ties to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (ISIS).
Rudaw Net
16-05-2025
- Business
- Rudaw Net
Iraq says ready to help with PKK disarmament
Also in Iraq Mass grave of suspected ISIS militants found in Shingal Jordan to supply Iraq's electrical grid with 150-200 MW by August Iraq begins registering land for Development Road Green Climate Fund approves Iraq's $1.3bn climate program ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - An Iraqi government spokesperson said on Friday that Baghdad is willing to receive weapons from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which this week announced it has decided to dissolve itself and end its armed struggle against the Turkish state. 'Iraq is ready to cooperate with Turkey and the Turkish Kurdistan Workers' Party in receiving weapons," Basim al-Awadi told Rudaw, adding that Iraq has presented "initiatives that it is also ready to deal with this issue from both humanitarian and relief aspects." He said that a potential PKK disarmament would significantly contribute to Ankara-Baghdad relations and that if the process is done properly 'this will certainly be encouraging and a factor in the withdrawal of all foreign forces from northern Iraq, that is, from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq." The Turkish army has established dozens of bases and outposts in northern Kurdistan Region on the pretext of battling the PKK. The PKK said on Monday that it had decided to 'dissolve its organizational structure and end the armed struggle' against Ankara. The move, widely seen to include its disarmament, has been welcomed by regional and Western countries. No timeline has been set. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein told journalists on Wednesday that they have conducted in-depth discussions with the Turkish authorities regarding the PKK's disarmament. 'There are specific visions, and there will be cooperation between the federal government in Baghdad, the Turkish government, and the Kurdistan Regional Government to deal with this important decision. We hope that this decision will be a step toward achieving peace and stability in Turkey and the region,' he said. Iraq banned the PKK in March last year ahead of a visit from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan when the two sides signed agreements in various fields, including security. A PKK spokesperson said on Friday that the group has not decided to lay down arms yet, saying there has been no change to the security landscape in northern Kurdistan Region where the group is based and battling Turkish forces. 'No one has talked about laying down and surrendering weapons. The caves and tunnels of resistance in Zap and Metina are still surrounded by the Turkish state and the KDP,' Zagros Hiwa, spokesperson for the Kurdistan Community Union's (KCK) foreign relations department, told the PKK-affiliated Sterk TV. KCK is an umbrella organization consisting of several groups including the PKK. The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) is the most powerful political party in the Kurdistan Region and enjoys close relations with Turkey. The PKK has often accused it of supporting Ankara in anti-PKK operations. 'The distance between the guerrilla fighters and the Turkish occupying soldiers is 50 meters, 100 meters. In such a situation, how can one lay down weapons?' asked Hiwa. 'Before we talk about laying down weapons, we need to talk about the withdrawal of the Turkish occupying army from the soil of Southern Kurdistan [Kurdistan Region]. It's too early to define this situation as a process.' Iraqi government spokesperson Awadi said that the mechanism of the PKK's potential disarmament will be discussed in talks between intelligence agencies of Iraq, Turkey and the Kurdistan Region. This is not the first time Iraq has been involved in disarming a Kurdish group. A security pact signed between Iran and Iraq in March 2023 saw Baghdad agree to disarm Iranian Kurdish opposition groups and secure the border regions. The groups are being relocated within the Kurdistan Region. Awadi said Baghdad intends to apply "the same mechanisms that we used with the Kurdish Iranian opposition inside Iraq, including weapons surrender and finding alternatives with the participation of the international community and organizations." Turkey has named the peace efforts 'terror-free Turkey.' During an event in Istanbul on Friday, Erdogan said that the 40 years of war with the PKK has affected the economy. 'We have also suffered a lot economically. We have had to allocate resources of nearly two trillion dollars to this issue. We have faced numerous problems in politics and democracy as well as in our unity and solidarity," he said. "We have had to grapple with this issue besides other troubles in international relations. Our brotherhood has been harmed because of terrorism. Our development journey proceeded very slowly because of terrorism. Now, we are taking our steps very determinedly and yet very carefully to free our country and our nation from this scourge once and for all. We will not stop until we reach our target. We will definitely achieve the goal of a terror-free Turkey,' he said.
Iraqi News
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Iraqi News
Turkey demands PKK militants in northern Iraq to disarm immediately
Ankara – Turkey on Thursday insisted the PKK and all groups allied with it must disarm and disband 'immediately', a week after a historic call by the Kurdish militant group's jailed founder. 'The PKK and all groups affiliated with it must end all terrorist activities, dissolve and immediately and unconditionally lay down their weapons,' a Turkish defence ministry source said. The remarks made clear the demand referred to all manifestations of Abdullah Ocalan's Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has led a four-decade insurgency against the Turkish state, costing tens of thousands of lives. Although the insurgency targeted Turkey, the PKK's leadership is based in the mountains of northern Iraq and its fighters are also part of the Kurdish-led SDF, a key force in northeastern Syria. Last week, Ocalan made a historic call urging the PKK to dissolve and his fighters to disarm, with the group on Saturday accepting his call and declaring a ceasefire. The same day, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned that if the promises were not kept, Turkish forces would continue their anti-PKK operations. 'If the promises given are not kept and an attempt is made to delay… or deceive… we will continue our ongoing operations… until we eliminate the last terrorist,' he said. Since 2016, Turkey has carried out three major military operations in northern Syria targeting PKK militants, which it sees as a strategic threat along its southern border. Ankara has made clear it wants to see all PKK fighters disarmed wherever they are — notably those in the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which it sees as part of the PKK. The SDF — the bulk of which is made up of the Kurdish YPG — spearheaded the fight that ousted Islamic State extremists from Syria in 2019, and is seen by much of the West as crucial to preventing a jihadist resurgence. Last week, SDF leader Mazloum Abdi welcomed Ocalan's call for the PKK to lay down its weapons but said it 'does not concern our forces' in northeastern Syria. But Turkey disagrees. Since the toppling of Syria's Bashar al-Assad in December, Ankara has threatened military action unless YPG militants are expelled, deeming them to be a regional security problem. 'Our fundamental approach is that all terrorist organisations should disarm and be dissolved in Iraq and Syria, whether they are called the PKK, the YPG or the SDF,' Omer Celik, spokesman for Erdogan's ruling AKP, said on Monday. Ocalan's call also affects Iraq, with the PKK leadership holed up in the mountainous north where Turkish forces have staged multiple air strikes in recent years. Turkish forces have also established numerous bases there, souring Ankara's relationship with Baghdad. 'We don't want either the PKK or the Turkish army on our land… Iraq wants everyone to withdraw,' Iraq's national security adviser Qassem al-Araji told AFP. 'Turkish forces are (in Iraq) because of the PKK's presence,' he said, while pointing out that Turkey had 'said more than once that it has no territorial ambitions in Iraq'.
