The “Terror-Free Türkiye” Policy and Ankara’s Influence in Kurdish Geopolitics
Türkiye’s “Terror-Free Türkiye” policy aims domestically to end the activities of the PKK and strengthen ties with the Kurdish population through democratic reforms, while regionally seeking to prevent PKK affiliates in neighboring countries from entering into alliances against Ankara and to increase Türkiye’s influence over the Kurds.
Unlike the “solution process” attempt that ended in 2015, the new process—developed with strong state backing—has emerged at a time when Ankara has largely ended the PKK’s activities inside Türkiye and has significantly constrained the organization’s activities abroad through a strategy of eliminating terrorism at its source.
Regionally, this process is unfolding during a period when Israel has extended its destabilizing influence all the way to the Syrian border through its aggressive policies following October 7, when the regime in Iran is being tested by Israeli and U.S. attacks and domestic protests. Its timing is also noteworthy since the possible withdrawal of coalition forces from Iraq and Syria may open the door to new developments affecting the Kurds in these states.
Ankara’s insistence on establishing a “Terror-Free Region” alongside the “Terror-Free Türkiye” policy can therefore be interpreted as a pre-emptive move in a period marked by uncertainty and risky developments across the Middle East. The process, likely to evolve into a comprehensive framework in which Türkiye not only resolves its domestic terrorism problem but also becomes a decisive actor across the Kurdish geography, could generate a range of alternative scenarios depending on whether it succeeds or fails.
Despite various challenges—particularly those related to Syria and Israel—the process has been progressing gradually. However, a negative outcome could reintroduce a conflict environment and create new possibilities including an equation in which the PKK is used within a broader anti-Ankara alignment. On the other hand, the ongoing process has already begun to reshape relations among the Kurds across the Middle East. If successful, it could enable Ankara to eliminate anti-Türkiye configurations within Kurdish geopolitics and position itself as a primary playmaker across the Kurdish region.
