A small faction of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party began laying down its arms in a symbolic ceremony in northern Iraq, vowing to continue its struggle legally and democratically.
Calling it a key step in a broader peace process, the Turkish government welcomed the move by the PKK, which has been designated a terrorist organization for decades by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. The ceremony is part of a five-phase plan for a lasting peace that could end the conflict that has lasted more than four decades and claimed tens of thousands of lives. The PKK announced its disbandment in May.
