When the PKK group’s terrorists burned their weapons in northern Iraq on July 11, it marked a historic moment for Türkiye in its decades-long battle to weed out the scourge of terrorism. 

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Türkiye is poised to turn a “historic page” after PKK terrorists destroyed their weapons as part of a deal that would also see the group disbanded. 

“A terror-free Türkiye is a developed, strengthened, and more prosperous Türkiye,” he said during his address at the 32nd Consultation and Evaluation Meeting of the governing Justice and Development (AK) Party in Ankara.

Erdogan cast this moment as both culmination and commencement — the end of a decades-long insurgency, ushering in a new era of unity, prosperity, and national rebirth.

He stated the PKK disarmament as not merely a military achievement, but a social and historical restoration of national unity. Türkiye has entered what Erdogan described as “a new phase” in its fight against terrorism.

“We are now at the threshold of removing the chains of terrorism that have shackled our nation for 47 years,” he said. “The concrete signs of this progress are already becoming visible on the ground.”

He marked the beginning of the surrender of the PKK terrorists under the supervision of Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organisation and Armed Forces as “highly symbolic and profoundly meaningful”.

“This is about rekindling the spirit of brotherhood,” he said. “The Turkish and Kurdish peoples, who have lived together for a thousand years, will once again find common ground in peace and shared destiny.”

After a decades-long campaign of terror by the PKK, the dismantling of the PKK's armed structure frees Türkiye from the heavy economic and social burden inflicted by the terror group.

PKK is listed as a terror group by Türkiye, the EU, and the US. 

Cost of the fight

According to President Erdogan, the economic cost of separatist terrorism to the country is estimated at around $2 trillion, emphasising that, with the political will and unwavering determination, Türkiye is on the verge of finally overcoming the “scourge of terrorism.”

The president emphasised that this development is not only a security breakthrough, but also an inflexion point in Türkiye’s economic trajectory.

He cited the potential for increased domestic investment, renewed foreign interest, and a revival in the long-neglected southeastern and eastern regions of the country.

“It means a Türkiye that has elevated the standard of living for all its citizens.”

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Professor Mevlut Tatliyer, an economist at Marmara University, welcomed the counter-terrorism milestone but urged policymakers to build upon it with a vision and an urgency.

“When there is terrorism, true development becomes nearly impossible,” he tells TRT World. “No one wants to open factories in unstable zones, and infrastructure projects stall. We’ve seen direct sabotage by PKK terrorists on roads and factories.”

While Tatliyer acknowledged that the Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia regions have long suffered from geographic and structural disadvantages such as arid terrain and proximity to unstable neighbours, he adds that terrorism has been the single most paralysing factor.

Now, with terror-free Türkiye seemingly within reach, the danger is a different kind of neglect: political complacency.

Road to recovery is paved

Tatliyer suggests that ending terror alone is not enough. “We can’t leave the future of these regions to chance,” he says. “The state must take an active role through economic incentives, public campaigns, and most critically, infrastructure investment.”

He suggests developing transportation, highlighting its importance in national development planning.

Logistics, as per him, is not just economic efficiency. It is national cohesion.

Türkiye has made significant progress in transportation over the last two decades, he adds.

He points to global examples like China, which has invested billions in high-speed rail to stitch together its vast geography. “We must think the same way,” he adds. “Build the roads, and the cities will follow and grow.”

Moment of national renewal

Tatliyer also advocates for less tangible infrastructures: campaigns that “appeal not just to the wallet, but to the heart.” People must be invited to take part in the revival, he says. 

“Tell investors: ‘Don’t take your production abroad, bring it to Diyarbakir or Van.’ Tell the nation: ‘Let’s build a shared future together,’” he adds.

He proposes that these initiatives be framed not as regional projects, but as part of a unified national agenda, to avoid resentment or perceptions of favouritism.

Framed this way, development becomes a work of reconciliation, narrative, and solidarity. “Development must be for all,” he adds, “but spearheaded where it’s needed most.”

President Erdogan echoed this sentiment in his address, calling for a comprehensive national mobilisation.

“These historic developments will open new economic horizons,” he said. “They will reinforce the trust our business world needs and elevate Türkiye’s regional and global strength.”

“We are finally transforming the ideal of the ‘Century of Türkiye’ into reality,” Erdogan said. “And our people, from the southeast to the Aegean, will feel its impact.”

Tatliyer, too, sees this moment as pivotal. “If we act decisively, the benefits will be massive,” he said. “But if we let it unfold passively, we risk losing a once-in-a-generation opportunity.”

As Türkiye looks to chart a new path beyond conflict, both political leaders and economic thinkers agree: A renewal made possible by Türkiye’s decisive efforts to eliminate terrorism. could be the beginning of a new national era, but only if it is met with strategy, solidarity, and sustained action.