Türkiye demands disarmament of all PKK factions, no exceptions VIDEO

Omer Celik, the spokesperson for Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), has firmly stated that all groups associated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) — including its affiliates in Iraq and Syria — must lay down their arms.

His comments were made in response to discussions attempting to distinguish exceptions in the Turkish call for the disarmament of terrorist groups, Caliber.Az reports.

In a statement shared on AK Party’s social media page, Celik emphasized that the call to disarm was not limited to the PKK operating in Iraq but extended to all factions of the group, regardless of their names or locations.

Genel Başkan Yardımcımız ve Parti Sözcümüz Sayın @omerrcelik basın toplantısı düzenliyor… https://t.co/B2yfC58o49

— AK Parti (@Akparti) February 28, 2025

He underscored that this includes well-known affiliated groups such as the YPG (People’s Defence Forces), PYD (Democratic Union Party), and SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces), all of which are considered by Türkiye as extensions of the PKK.

“Some are now trying to talk about exceptions in the context of Türkiye’s call for terrorists to disarm. They are trying to present it as an issue that only concerns the organization in Iraq,” Celik said. “No, when we say ‘terrorist organization,’ we mean to eliminate it completely, including all its elements in Iraq and Syria, regardless of the name.”

Celik emphasized that Türkiye will not entertain any form of negotiation or bargaining with these groups, reiterating his country’s firm stance on eradicating terrorism in all its forms and across all territories. "There will be no bargaining or negotiations with the terrorists," he stated, reinforcing the government's determination to address the issue decisively.

His remarks come amid ongoing tensions surrounding the PKK's presence in both Iraq and Syria, where Türkiye has been engaged in military operations to dismantle the group's strongholds and combat its influence in the region.

To recall, on February 27, Abdullah Öcalan, the leader of the banned Kurdish insurgent group, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), has called on members of the organization to lay down their arms and disband after over four decades of conflict with the Turkish state.

In a long-awaited statement, which was read out by deputies of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Freedom and Democracy Party (DEM) in Istanbul, Öcalan urged the PKK to end its armed struggle.

By Vafa Guliyeva