Did the terrorists leave armed or unarmed?!

Süleyman Soylu, one of the leading figures in the fight against separatist terrorism during his tenure as Minister of Interior, stated on September 18, 2021, "As of this evening, the number of terrorists in Turkey has fallen below 200 for the first time, dropping to 197."

On November 18, 2022, he claimed that the Republic of Turkey knew everything about the terrorists in the mountains, including their shoe sizes.

On December 11, 2022, he heralded that "by the centenary of the Republic on October 29, 2023, there will not be a single terrorist left within the borders and mountains of this country."

On May 27, 2023, he reported that the number of terrorists in the mountains had fallen to 77.

Let us also look at the figures provided by Ali Yerlikaya, the Minister of Interior who succeeded Soylu.

On October 12, 2023, he stated that 309 terrorists had been neutralized in operations against the PKK in rural and urban areas over the last 120 days, and that 433 out of 1,810 suspects detained had been arrested.

On March 7, 2024, he announced the balance sheet of operations between June 1, 2023, and February 29, 2024, stating that 782 terrorists had been neutralized.

HOW MANY LEFT

Within the scope of the "staircase strategy" of "one for you, one for me" taking place between Ankara and Imralı-Qandil-DEM, a symbolic ceremony similar to the weapon-burning show in Sulaymaniyah was announced from Qandil yesterday.

Sabri Ok, one of the ringleaders of the KCK, announced that "with the approval of Abdullah Öcalan, all their forces in Turkey have begun to withdraw to media defense areas," and also that "similar corrective measures have been taken in positions open to possible provocations that create a risk of conflict in border areas." It was reported that a group from Turkey also attended the ceremony in question.

The PKK's dissolution and laying down of arms was supposed to be unconditional, right?

Then, if these demands by Sabri Ok are not conditions, what are they?

- We do not want amnesty, we want special laws specific to the PKK or the process...

- Laws for the necessary freedoms and democratic integration to participate in democratic politics must be enacted without delay...

- Abdullah Öcalan's physical freedom should be ensured, and the Commission should meet with Öcalan and listen to his views...

AKP members considered this picture as "leaving another important threshold behind"... It was explained that "a new era would open with the complete disappearance of terrorism, which has been a shackle on our country's feet for years"... It was emphasized that "the roadmap is progressing in accordance with the main goal" and that "the process is state policy"...

Meanwhile, regarding the Syrian PKK, for which the terrorist leader in Imralı has not lifted a finger despite Bahçeli's two calls, the point has been reached where it is said, "The process can be different"...

Returning to the terrorists said to have left Turkey; Erdoğan had said during the 2013 resolution process, "The goal is for the separatist terrorist organization to leave Turkey by laying down its arms."

Without even getting into "where and how," let us just ask these questions:

Did those who left now go armed or unarmed?.. How many terrorists were there in Turkey, and how many left?..

PKK LAYING DOWN ARMS IS LIKE THE MEDITERRANEAN DRYING UP

Why are we asking?

Because it is crystal clear that the terrorist leader, the PKK, and the DEM will not lay down their arms unless these demands are met.

In recent weeks, when MHP Leader Devlet Bahçeli warned, "We must avoid bringing maximalist demands to the agenda," DEM co-chair Tuncer Bakırhan asked for "constitutional citizenship, education in the mother tongue, recognition of the rights of Kurds, and democracy for local governments" as "our concrete demands," and then asked which of these were "exaggerated, outlandish, or maximalist."

Well, if the government and its partners fulfill these, that is, if they accept the PKK's partnership with the Republic of Turkey, of course they will lay down their arms. After all, the purpose has been achieved, the destination has been reached!..

Right here, let us present a selection of quotes from MHP Leader Bahçeli, who opposed the 2013 resolution process, after that process ended. He had said;

- "Arms would fall silent, terrorists would go abroad, and ideas would be discussed... Erdoğan was talking about resorting to every means for a solution. He was saying, 'We will drink the hemlock if necessary.' He was determined that there would be no concessions, no stepping back from the resolution process. He was emphasizing that he had staked his life on this path. Erdoğan himself was saying that giving up on the opening, standing against the opening, would be a betrayal of this country and the children of this country."

- "Please remember; the resolution process was developing as planned, Erdoğan had said this in March 2013. Committees were being established regarding the process, laws were being enacted, democratization packages were being prepared. Terrorists would lay down their arms, and Turkey would reach spring. These were the claims... New horizons would be opened for Turkey, it would be lifted up, and it would be ensured that it became an unassailable country."

- "Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had been selling dreams and hope to our nation by saying these things for a long time... Even though it was always hidden that the process was a process of arming, concessions, dishonor, and giving up national rights, the facts were clear."

- "While we were saying that the PKK laying down its arms is as impossible as the Mediterranean drying up, the pool media was running headlines like 'PKK out, hope in'."

May it not end like the 2013 resolution process; but are the government and its partners not selling dreams and hope to the nation now for a cause that is "as impossible as the Mediterranean drying up"?!

Müyesser YILDIZ

October 27, 2025