In a symbolic move marking the start of a potential peace process, 30 members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) burned their weapons in northern Iraq on Friday, following a renewed call by the group’s imprisoned leader to disband, as reported by Reuters.
At a ceremony near the mouth of a cave, militants — including both men and women — placed their AK-47 rifles, ammunition belts, and other arms into a large cauldron. The weapons were set ablaze in the presence of Turkish, Iraqi, and Kurdish officials, including representatives from Turkey’s pro-Kurdish DEM party.
The event marks one of the most public steps toward de-escalation in the decades-long conflict, which has left thousands dead and strained relations across the region.
The disarmament gesture could signal the beginning of a broader peace initiative, with possible implications for regional stability across Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. Kurdish leaders have called on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the national parliament to address longstanding demands for expanded rights and political recognition as part of any lasting settlement.
Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that Central Asia is facing a sharp escalation in narcotics trafficking, with recent seizures revealing both the scale and sophistication of drug operations spanning Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
