Türkiye reports surrender of seven more PKK members in northern Iraq VIDEO

Seven PKK militants hiding in northern Iraq surrendered last week amid the Turkish Armed Forces’ ongoing security operations in the region, Defence Ministry spokesman Zeki Aktürk said, as reported by Caliber.Az.

In a post on X, Aktürk noted that Türkiye’s search-and-scan operations continued both inside the country and beyond its borders, targeting caves, shelters, bunkers, mines, and improvised explosive devices. 

Son bir haftada 7 PKK’lı terörist daha teslim oldu. Menbic’de imha edilen 3 kilometre tünel ile birlikte, Suriye Harekât Alanlarında imha edilen tünel uzunluğu 723 kilometreye ulaştı. #MillîSavunmaBakanlığı pic.twitter.com/KPwuSRMoyI

— T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı (@tcsavunma) November 20, 2025

With the destruction of a three-kilometre tunnel in Manbij, the total length of tunnels eliminated in the Syrian operation zones has reached 723 kilometres, he added.

Over the past week, Turkish forces detained 249 individuals attempting to cross the border illegally — including one PKK member — and prevented 1,685 others from doing so. Since the beginning of the year, 8,794 people have been detained during illegal crossing attempts, while 59,030 have been stopped before reaching the border.

In separate operations on the Van–Hakkari border, security forces seized 280 kilograms of narcotics.

On February 27, 2025, the PKK's jailed founder and leader, Abdullah Öcalan issued a historic "Call for Peace and a Democratic Society" from prison, urging the PKK to convene a congress, lay down arms, and formally disband. 

On March 1, 2025, the PKK's executive committee responded by declaring an immediate unilateral ceasefire, heeding Öcalan's directive but attaching conditions: the creation of a legal framework for peace talks, Öcalan's release to oversee disarmament, and guarantees against renewed Turkish offensives.

Following the ceasefire, the PKK held its congress in Iraq's Qandil Mountains (the group's historic stronghold) on May 9–11, 2025. On May 12, 2025, the leadership announced the PKK's formal disbandment and end to its armed struggle, describing it as a "solid foundation for lasting peace and a democratic solution. 

Post-disbandment, surrenders have accelerated, signalling the group's operational wind-down.

By Khagan Isayev