FILED - 04 February 2025, Greenland, Nuuk: View of part of the Greenlandic capital Nuuk and the fjord behind it. Greenland has become the focus of world attention due to the desires of US President Donald Trump. Photo: Steffen Trumpf/dpa (Photo by Steffen Trumpf/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Iraq’s Displaced Kurds Hope to Return Home After PKK Declares Ceasefire
Iraq’s displaced Kurdish communities are hopeful about returning to their villages after the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) declared a ceasefire with Turkey. The announcement, following a call from jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, has raised hopes for an end to decades of conflict.
For years, clashes between Turkish forces and PKK militants have devastated northern Iraq, forcing thousands of Kurdish villagers to flee their homes. Turkish airstrikes targeting PKK bases made it unsafe for civilians, disrupting their livelihoods and leaving entire villages abandoned. Many families, who once depended on farming, now rely on government aid and temporary housing.
With the ceasefire in place, displaced Kurds like Adil Tahir Qadir and Farooq Safar are eager to return home. They dream of restoring their farms, resuming their traditional way of life, and regaining their independence. However, there is still caution, as previous ceasefires have failed to bring lasting peace.
The ceasefire’s success depends on long-term security and political agreements between Turkey and Kurdish leaders. While the Turkish government acknowledges the ceasefire as a positive step, formal peace talks have yet to begin. For Iraq’s displaced Kurds, the hope of returning home now rests on whether this ceasefire leads to real and lasting stability.
