The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), banned and recognized as a terrorist organization in Turkey, the EU and the US, announced the withdrawal of its troops from Turkey as part of the peace process with the Turkish authorities, DW reported, quoted by FOCUS.
"On Sunday, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) group announced the withdrawal of all its troops from Turkey to northern Iraq as part of the disarmament process“, the report states.
The group, which has waged an armed struggle against Turkey for nearly four decades, killing more than 40,000 people, decided in May to lay down its arms after a call from its imprisoned 76-year-old leader Abdullah Ocalan.
"We are currently withdrawing all our forces from Turkish territory“, PKK officials said.
The PKK added that the troop withdrawal was aimed at allowing it to establish “a free, democratic and fraternal life“ and was part of its efforts to advance the disarmament and integration processes.
The PKK called on Ankara to take steps to facilitate the PKK's transition to “democratic politics” by adopting integration laws.
"The legal and political steps necessary for this process... and the laws on freedom and democratic integration necessary for participation in democratic politics must be implemented immediately", PKK representatives stressed.
The group has already stated that it now wants to protect the rights of the Kurdish minority in Turkey through democratic means, as Öcalan calls for.