Türkiye has entered a historic new phase in its decadeslong fight against the PKK terrorist group, following nearly 40 years of conflict.

After the PKK laid down its arms and dissolved itself, attention has shifted to establishing the legal framework for the process. A new law adopted by Parliament at the beginning of this week sets out the legal basis for overseeing the group’s disarmament and dissolution.

“The conflict is estimated to have cost Türkiye approximately $2.5 trillion (TL 119.39 trillion) in economic terms alone,” Ali Fuat Gökçe, a professor and military strategist, told Daily Sabah.

“But the toll cannot be measured solely in economic terms. In a society where nearly every extended family has lost someone or has a veteran, bringing this conflict to an end had become a necessity for Türkiye,” he added.

In Türkiye’s 600-seat Parliament, the legislation was approved with 468 votes in favor, 88 against and seven abstentions. The measure allows investigations and prison sentences for some PKK members to be deferred under certain conditions, provided that the group lays down its arms. Those involved in serious crimes, including murder, are excluded from the legislation.

Gökçe stated that as a former soldier who experienced this firsthand, both in the field during operations and in having to inform families that their loved ones had been killed, “I can say that it was devastating. Those of us who lived through these experiences know perhaps better than anyone why this conflict needed to end.”

“For decades, Türkiye has had to devote a significant share of its energy and resources to fighting terrorism at home,” he stressed, offering that overcoming this challenge would allow the country to redirect those resources toward improving the welfare of its people and advancing economic and social development.

The measure allows investigations and prison sentences for some PKK members to be deferred under certain conditions, provided that the group lays down its arms. Those involved in serious crimes, including murder, are excluded from the legislation.

“No terrorist group would be receptive to such an offer if it believed it was operating from a position of strength,” he noted, arguing that the fact that the PKK has engaged with the process indicates it has lost much of its operational capacity. It had become largely unable to carry out attacks inside Türkiye, while its activities abroad were increasingly constrained.

Since the 1980s, the PKK terrorist group has waged a violent campaign that has killed tens of thousands of people. The group’s campaign, aimed at establishing a so-called Kurdish state in southeastern Türkiye, posed the country’s greatest security threat for decades.

Once it became clear that the group could no longer achieve its objectives through armed means, the conditions emerged for it to respond to the state’s initiative, according to Gökçe.

“A certain amount of progress has been made so far, but from this point onward, much of the responsibility lies with the group.”

Türkiye has significantly weakened the PKK’s influence across the region through cross-border operations in Iraq and Syria, while strict counterterrorism measures, particularly in the southeast where PKK members operated from mountainous terrain, have substantially reduced the group’s presence.

The country has established the necessary legal framework, and PKK members now have six months to surrender under the process.

Reiterating that the government is conducting the process itself with no third-party mediator involved, “The fact that the state has set a six-month deadline is itself an indication that it is acting from a position of strength,” he added.

Divisions in opposition

The Law on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Integration was approved with 468 votes in favor and 88 against. A total of 562 lawmakers took part in the vote, with six abstentions.

Looking at the parliamentary vote, we saw divisions within several opposition parties and with some lawmakers in favor of the legislation, Gökçe pointed out.

He argued that the divisions also raised questions over whether opposition to the legislation was driven primarily by objections to the substance of the process or by broader political opposition to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the governing Justice and Development Party (AK Party).

“It is difficult to determine whether their opposition stems from genuine concerns about the process of ending terrorism or simply from political opposition to the government,” he underlined.

The legislation cleared the General Assembly after lawmakers completed deliberations on all 12 articles. It had previously been approved by Parliament’s Justice Committee following a marathon session lasting over 17 hours.

He said the differing votes within opposition parties reflected what he viewed as a distinction between lawmakers assessing the legislation on its merits and those approaching it primarily through a partisan lens.

“Some may oppose even measures that could produce positive results simply for political reasons, while others take a more pragmatic approach and are willing to support the government when they believe a measure serves the country’s interests,” he said.

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Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will visit Egypt on Aug. 13-14 for high-level talks aimed at deepening bilateral cooperation and coordinating positions on regional crises, including Gaza, Syria, Libya and Sudan, Foreign Ministry sources said Wednesday.

During the visit, Fidan and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty are expected to co-chair the second meeting of the Türkiye-Egypt Joint Planning Group, which oversees preparations for meetings of the countries’ High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council.

The two sides are also expected to discuss preparations for the council’s third meeting, planned to be held in Türkiye in 2028.

Fidan is expected to be received by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and hold separate talks with other senior Egyptian officials, the sources said.

The discussions are expected to cover political, economic, commercial and military relations as Ankara and Cairo seek to build on a rapprochement that has accelerated in recent years.

Fidan is expected to discuss steps to encourage further investment and business contacts, as well as cooperation in transportation, connectivity and energy. Potential projects involving hydrocarbons, electricity-grid integration, energy infrastructure and mining are also expected to be considered.

The two sides will also assess ways to expand military and defense industry cooperation.

Regional developments are expected to feature prominently in the talks. Fidan is set to underline the importance of addressing regional disputes through dialogue and diplomacy and of strengthening cooperation through bilateral and multilateral mechanisms, including the R4 initiative bringing together Türkiye, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

The talks are expected to address diplomatic efforts aimed at restoring a cease-fire between the U.S. and Iran and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, while Ankara is also expected to express support for Egypt’s diplomatic initiatives to end regional conflicts.

Gaza will be another major item on the agenda. Fidan is expected to call for an end to continuing attacks, full implementation of the cease-fire and uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian assistance. The ministers will also exchange views on the implementation of the second phase of the Gaza peace plan.

The Turkish and Egyptian officials are also expected to discuss Israeli actions involving Lebanon and Syria and their implications for regional stability, as well as efforts to establish lasting security in Syria while preserving the country’s territorial integrity and unity.

Libya, the Eastern Mediterranean and Sudan will also be on the agenda. Fidan is expected to emphasize Ankara’s support for Libya’s territorial integrity and political unity and discuss continued coordination with Cairo on efforts to achieve lasting stability there.

On Sudan, the minister is expected to reiterate Türkiye’s support for the country’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity and stress the importance of dialogue and diplomacy in efforts to end the conflict.

Türkiye-Egypt ties

Relations between Türkiye and Egypt have gained momentum amid increasingly frequent high-level contacts and reciprocal visits, with Fidan and Abdelatty maintaining regular consultations and close coordination on bilateral and regional issues.

Abdelatty visited Türkiye on Nov. 12, 2025, for the first meeting of the Türkiye-Egypt Joint Planning Group and later attended the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on April 17-19, 2026.

Fidan most recently visited Cairo on June 20-21 to attend the fourth meeting of the foreign ministers of Türkiye, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

Egypt is one of Türkiye’s leading trade and export partners in Africa. Bilateral trade reached about $8 billion in 2025, with the two countries aiming to increase the figure to $15 billion, a target set by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and el-Sissi.

Turkish investments in Egypt have exceeded $4 billion, underscoring the growing economic ties between the two countries. Turkish-owned companies currently contribute to the employment of about 100,000 Egyptians.

The recent momentum in relations has also strengthened coordination between Ankara and Cairo on regional issues. The two countries have increasingly sought to use their expanding bilateral partnership to support diplomatic efforts aimed at promoting peace, stability and cooperation across the region.

Joint Planning Group

The Türkiye-Egypt Joint Planning Group was established under a joint declaration signed on Feb. 14, 2024, on the establishment of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council.

Co-chaired by the foreign ministers of Türkiye and Egypt, the group is tasked with preparing meetings of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council and strengthening coordination across areas of bilateral cooperation.

The group held its first meeting in Türkiye on Nov. 12, 2025, under the co-chairmanship of Fidan and Abdelatty.

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Türkiye’s landmark initiative to end decades of violence by the PKK terrorist group will probably have the greatest impact on Türkiye’s southeastern and eastern regions, both economically and in terms of security.

Residents of the predominantly Kurdish region, which was terrorized by the PKK and saw children lost to the group’s brainwashing tactics for years, can now see a silver lining in a recently adopted law that will advance the terror-free Türkiye initiative.

The Law on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Cohesion, passed by Parliament earlier this week, will help nonviolent members of the PKK on the path to reintegration by deferring prosecution and sentencing for many.

Residents in Diyarbakır, the region’s main city, expressed hope that the new law will bring peace as well as prosperity to a region that has lagged behind economically due to a security situation that has deteriorated dramatically since the 1980s.

“I was really very happy. I even applauded (the result) in my own home,” 70-year-old retiree Ali Akdoğan told The Associated Press (AP). “The economy will improve, good things will happen, people will start doing business.

“I believe it will bring peace,” he continued.

Mehmet Kaya, head of the Diyarbakır Chamber of Trade and Industry, welcomed the fact that the legislation was passed with an overwhelming majority. “It signals that violence is ending and the doors of politics are opening,” he said. However, the law alone does not solve the Kurdish issue, and further reforms will be needed, he added.

“If the step taken from now brings sustainable democratization, and social and economic policies develop, which is the expectation, then the region will go through an important phase,” Kaya said.

Hacı Çapan, a Diyarbakır resident, said they hoped “no families will cry again,” referring to victims of terrorism.

Proponents of the terror-free Türkiye initiative, including government ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli, who first suggested the process in 2024, and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, tout it as a way to cement Turkish-Kurdish unity in the face of external threats. The PKK retained a rhetoric of fighting for Kurdish rights as it sought to legitimize its campaign, which was concentrated in southeastern Türkiye and killed a large number of security personnel and civilians.

“It all depends on Bahçeli, Erdoğan and the DEM Party. If they are united on this matter, (terror-free Türkiye) will be achieved,” Çapan told Ihlas News Agency (IHA) on Tuesday.

The Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), which has intricate links with the PKK, has been a key intermediary in the initiative, relaying messages from the group’s jailed ringleader, Abdullah Öcalan, to the public.

“This country suffered too much, and we hope it won’t have to suffer again. Other countries want us to be like Syria and Iran. If it wasn’t for President Erdoğan and the unity of the Turkish and Kurdish people, it could have been like that,” Çapan said.

Engin Yeşil, chair of Diyarbakır Commerce Exchange, told the Sabah newspaper that the region has been embroiled in conflict for decades and that the new law was very much welcomed by people in the region. “Almost everyone supports the initiative and this law. Its impact will be visible everywhere soon,” he said.

Emine Tuncer, a businessperson based in the eastern province of Batman, told Sabah that the end of the violent campaign was an economic and social turning point for the region.

“A permanent peace environment will provide the security and stability desired by investors. With more investment by the private sector, industry, agriculture, tourism and commerce will rapidly develop,” she said.

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Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş was at the forefront of efforts to facilitate parliamentary debate on the terror-free Türkiye initiative from the time it began two years ago. The culmination of the legislative work to advance the process, which seeks the full disbandment of the terrorist group PKK, was a relief for the veteran politician. In remarks on Wednesday, Kurtulmuş highlighted the fact that the initiative had received broad public support, as indicated by Tuesday’s vote in Parliament.

Kurtulmuş was not authorized to cast a vote due to his duties as parliament speaker, but 468 lawmakers from across the political spectrum voted in favor of the Law on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Cohesion after lengthy deliberations. The law primarily provides for the deferral of prosecution and sentencing for PKK members who have not been involved in acts of terrorism. It was presented to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday. After Erdoğan’s approval, it is expected to be published in the Official Gazette, but only after the PKK’s dissolution is officially confirmed by the National Security Council chaired by Erdoğan.

In an interview at Anadolu Agency’s (AA) Editors’ Desk, Kurtulmuş said the law’s approval reflected the fact that a majority of the nation supported the initiative politically. “We tried to build a balance so that the majority would accept it, including the families of our martyrs and veterans,” he said. Opponents of the initiative, mostly far-right groups, claimed that the initiative amounted to concessions to the PKK, which has killed tens of thousands of people in attacks since the 1980s. Authorities deny that any concessions have been made, and the law stipulates that deferrals will only be approved after the PKK’s disarmament has been verified.

Kurtulmuş said that Türkiye is going through one of the most important processes in its history with the initiative, recalling that terrorism had shackled Türkiye for half of the first century of the Republic, leading to the deaths of soldiers and civilians and the squandering of significant financial resources. Kurtulmuş noted that efforts had been made to foment hostility between Turks and Kurds and to divide and fragment Türkiye, adding that the country had paid a heavy price throughout the process.

Describing the steps taken as part of the initiative, Kurtulmuş said Türkiye had reached in one year a point that other countries had taken eight or nine years, or even longer, to reach.

He recalled that the National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission, established in Parliament as part of the initiative, held its first meeting on Aug. 5, 2025.

Kurtulmuş, who was the chairperson of the commission, said all political parties were represented on it and that representatives of different segments of society had been heard during its 21 meetings. He emphasized that everyone was able to express their views and suggestions freely during the commission’s meetings, without any restrictions, and noted that no one spoke against those who addressed the commission afterward, describing this as an exceptionally high example of democracy. Recalling that the commission’s report was prepared with the consensus of the parties on Feb. 18, Kurtulmuş said the report was among the important documents produced during the process.

He said the commission had been one of the most effective and democratic instruments in the process, adding: “During the drafting of the law, we paid attention to the following: We had a report, which served as a guideline for preparing the draft law, that was unanimously adopted. Forty-seven people voted for it, and all parties supported the report. We said that the law to be drafted would establish the legal framework for managing the process that would emerge with the PKK disbanding itself and laying down its arms, as outlined in the sixth section of the report. The law adopted in Parliament with the votes of (468) of our 600 members of Parliament is also in line with the general framework agreed upon in the sixth section of the report. This figure reflects in politics the overwhelming majority of the nation’s support for terror-free Türkiye. There may be different views within the political parties, but the figure of (468), which was well above even our expectations, is a number rarely seen or achieved. This is very important. I believe it should be understood as a reflection in politics of the support expressed by the people.”

Kurtulmuş said all segments of Turkish society had had enough of terrorism, adding that festivals were now being held in the Gabar and Cudi mountains in southeastern Türkiye, a region that was plagued by PKK terrorism for years. He said these were areas that no one had previously been able to enter and that no one had been injured there for two years. He said investment opportunities in the region had improved as conditions became more peaceful, adding, “Society as a whole has embraced this atmosphere of peace and tranquility. This is its reflection in politics.”

He emphasized that they had taken certain sensitivities into consideration throughout the process, noting that it was important to be able to take actions and make decisions that would be accepted by the collective conscience of society. He stressed the importance of acting in a way that would never hurt the feelings of the families of fallen soldiers, veterans, or the people who had strongly supported the fight against terrorism, adding that they had taken this into account from the outset, both in the commission’s work and in the drafting of the legislation.

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Lawmakers began their delayed summer recess on Tuesday, concluding a legislative term that ended with the passage of one of the most anticipated laws of the year.

The General Assembly of Parliament worked into the late hours of Monday and passed the Law on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Cohesion as part of the “terror-free Türkiye” initiative, which aims for the complete dissolution of the terrorist group PKK.

During the 28th parliamentary term, lawmakers discussed and approved 21 bills, five presidential decrees and two decrees issued by the Office of the Parliamentary Speaker. Parliament also ratified 15 international agreements. Lawmakers will return to Parliament on October 1.

Parliament was initially scheduled to begin its recess on July 1, but the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) pushed forward bills on critical social issues, leading to the postponement of the recess. Parliament also remained in session longer than expected in 2025, as a parliamentary committee established as part of the terror-free Türkiye process held sessions. Since July 1, the General Assembly has approved seven bills, one presidential decree and ratified one international treaty.

Among the bills approved by Parliament were legislation to improve the rights of specialist sergeants and the functioning of the judiciary, amendments to the Higher Education Law that included provisions for a student amnesty, amendments to the Child Protection Law, and legislation aimed at improving the rights of the families of terror victims and veterans.

A presidential memorandum concerning the extension of the Turkish Armed Forces’ mission in Somalia for another two years was also approved by the General Assembly. In addition, the Law Approving the Agreement between Türkiye and the Secretariats of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement on the 31st Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the 21st Session of the Conference of the Parties Serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol, the 8th Session of the Conference of the Parties Serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement, the Sessions of the Subsidiary Bodies, and Other UNFCCC Meetings was adopted.

During the legislative year, the General Assembly enacted 21 bills concerning, among other matters, traffic fines, the extension of paid maternity leave, agriculture and forestry, the security forces, tax regulations and judicial packages, as well as 15 international agreements.

Parliamentary resolutions concerning attacks on humanitarian aid flotillas heading to Gaza and the armed intervention carried out by the Israeli military against the Global Sumud Flotilla were unanimously adopted by the General Assembly.

Presidential memoranda concerning the extension of the deployment periods of Turkish troops were also approved: the mission in Lebanon was extended by two years, those in Iraq and Syria by three years, the mission in Libya by 24 months, the mission in the Gulf of Aden by one year, and the mission in Somalia by two years.

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Almost one year after his last visit and many developments later, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is scheduled to visit Türkiye, where he will meet President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Burhanettin Duran, head of the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications, announced Tuesday that Abbas would embark on a three-day official visit at Erdoğan’s invitation. During their meeting, Erdoğan and Abbas will exchange views on the latest developments in Palestine, bilateral relations and regional developments, Duran added.

Palestinian media outlets reported that Abbas would arrive in Türkiye later Tuesday and brief Erdoğan on the situation in Gaza, settler attacks in the West Bank and the expansion of illegal settlements.

Abbas is known for his historic speech before the Turkish Parliament in 2024, in which he emphasized that the Palestinian people would stand tall despite Israeli strikes.

The Israeli army has killed more than 73,000 people and injured over 174,000 others in a brutal offensive in Gaza since October 2023.

Despite a cease-fire that took effect on Oct. 10, 2025, as part of the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan, Israel has continued its daily attacks, killing at least 1,258 people and wounding 4,139 others, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

The second phase of Trump’s plan, which was also backed by Türkiye, envisages transferring the administration of Gaza to a Palestinian technocratic committee, deploying an international stabilization force and placing weapons under the responsibility of the National Committee for Gaza Administration under international supervision, alongside a phased Israeli withdrawal and reconstruction efforts.

On Sunday, Hamas reaffirmed its commitment to the road map agreed on with mediators and the Board of Peace to complete the second phase of Trump’s plan for Gaza.

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