Turkey’s defense ministry announced on Thursday that its armed forces have eliminated 26 Kurdish militants in Iraq and Syria following a disarmament appeal from imprisoned militant leader Abdullah Ocalan.
Last week, Ocalan urged his banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) to cease hostilities and disband, leading the group to declare an immediate ceasefire on Saturday.
A spokesperson for the defense ministry stated during a weekly press briefing that “the Turkish Armed Forces will persist in their operations and reconnaissance activities in the region to ensure the safety and security of our nation.”
The spokesperson emphasized that the fight against terrorism would continue with unwavering determination until every terrorist threat is eradicated. Zeki Akturk, the spokesperson, noted that the PKK militants had been “neutralized” in Iraq and Syria, although he did not provide specific locations for these actions. The term “neutralized” typically indicates that the militants were killed.
The PKK, which is recognized as a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies, expressed its willingness to hold a congress as suggested by Ocalan, but insisted that appropriate security measures must be in place for him to “personally oversee” the proceedings.
The Syrian Kurdish YPG, a key U.S. ally in the fight against the Islamic State in Syria and viewed by Ankara as an extension of the PKK, stated that Ocalan’s message does not pertain to them.
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President Tayyip Erdogan remarked on Saturday that Turkey would continue its operations against the PKK if the disarmament process falters or commitments are not fulfilled. Omer Celik, a spokesperson for Erdogan’s ruling AK Party, asserted that all Kurdish militants in Iraq and Syria, including the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), must disarm.
