Physical Address
Indirizzo: Via Mario Greco 60, Buttigliera Alta, 10090, Torino, Italy
Several important internal and external dynamics have opened a new window of opportunity for resolving the terrorism problem and the Kurdish issue in Türkiye. The most significant development in Turkish domestic politics was the revolutionary improvements in the defense industry, particularly in the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) sector. Following these developments in the Turkish defense industry, the terrorist organization PKK became unable to carry out its activities and was forced to lay down its weapons and to dissolve itself. Türkiye’s increased capacity and capability in the fight against terrorism have minimized the impact of the PKK.
Internal, external dynamics
Meanwhile, two regional developments required Türkiye to take measures against new regional dynamics. First, Hamas’ Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on Oct. 7, 2023, and then Israel’s genocide in Gaza shifted the regional balance of power. Israel’s aggression against seven regional countries has led to regional instability and forced Türkiye to recalibrate its regional policy. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has openly declared his intention to “strengthen the domestic front” by eliminating the most influential political fault line within the country to deter any external threat emanating from the region.
On the other hand, Erdoğan called for the strengthening of the Turkish, Kurdish and Arab alliance to overcome regional challenges facing all peoples of the region. He warned those who attempt to collaborate with Israel against Türkiye, saying that only those who turn their face to Ankara will win. Erdoğan underlined that Türkiye will continue to oppose any destabilizing actor, namely Israel, in the region.
The second regional dynamic was the Syrian Revolution of December 2024, which brought an end to the long-standing Baath regime in Syria. Thus, the PKK has lost its main regional supporter, was left vulnerable, and it remained defenseless in the region. It is important to emphasize that the PKK ended the first “resolution process” due to the developments in the northeastern part of Syria, where the Syrian branch of the PKK, the YPG/SDF, began controlling large portions of Syrian territory and aimed to establish a de facto state. The Turkish government, which played a decisive role in the overthrow of the Baath regime and maintains close ties with the current Syrian central government, supports the territorial integrity of the Syrian state and the Syrian central government.
The “terror-free Türkiye project” requires a long and gradual process. Naturally, resolving all the problems and overcoming all the challenges will take time. The first steps toward the “terror-free Türkiye” were taken by Devlet Bahçeli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the junior partner of the People’s Alliance, when shook hands with leaders of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), which has ties to the PKK.
As a response to this move, the PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan called on the PKK leadership to lay down its arms and to dissolve itself in February 2025. The PKK leadership responded positively to Öcalan’s call, convening its congress and declaring its dissolution last May. Then, the PKK burned its weapons in a symbolic ceremony in northern Iraq on July 11.
Withdrawal from Türkiye
The most recent development on this issue is the announcement by the PKK leadership on Oct. 25 that it has started to withdraw from Turkish territory, marking another step in Türkiye’s terror-free process. However, this withdrawal is not particularly significant in terms of domestic politics, as Türkiye has already minimized the PKK’s impact within the country by taking preemptive measures. Furthermore, the number of new recruits from Türkiye joining the PKK has also decreased dramatically. The PKK has recognized that, with no viable options left, violence is no longer considered a valid method for claiming rights.
The withdrawal can be seen as a concrete and crucial step that both sustains the resolution process and advances the completion of its first phase. Also, it will pave the way for the consolidation of democracy in the country. It is generally accepted by all political parties that Parliament is the main platform for finding solutions to Türkiye’s problems. Following the resolution of the terrorism problem, the process will continue with the legal amendments regarding the future of the Kurdish issue. Ankara will initiate a political reform program to reach a final solution to the Kurdish issue.
Lastly, the PKK’s withdrawal from Türkiye means that the YPG/SDF is highly likely to be integrated into the Syrian national army. Türkiye is quite sensitive about the potential changes in Syria; it has repeatedly declared that it will not allow the YPG/SDF to divide the Syrian territory. The stability and security of the Syrian central government are of great importance for Ankara, which is determined to continue to monitor the situation. However, if the YPG/SDF heeds external powers to sever ties with Türkiye, Ankara will react harshly.
All in all, the withdrawal of the PKK from Türkiye will generate positive results and increase hopes for the success of the terror-free Türkiye project. Thus, Türkiye will get rid of threats to the Turkish democracy and its territorial integrity. This move will also make a great contribution to regional stability.
