A Cold Peace: A Ceasefire Without Demobilization
It has been seven months since the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) announced a unilateral ceasefire, and over three months since it held a symbolic ceremony to initiate the disarmament process. With peace negotiations and implementation efforts now entering deeper phases of discussion, September marked the first month since the last peace process in 2015 without any bombardments or attacks by the Turkish Armed Forces in Iraqi Kurdistan—continuing the sharp downward trend observed in July and August, which saw a 97% reduction in attacks. Despite this progress, and although bombardments and attacks have significantly decreased, military mobilization by both sides has continued to increase.
Between July 1 (marked by the symbolic disarmament ceremony on July 11th) and September 30, at least 34 bombardments and attacks were documented in Iraqi Kurdistan by the Turkish Armed Forces—reflecting a continuation of the sharp reduction that began in July, with a 97% decrease that culminated in a complete cessation of attacks in September.
