Half of PKK militants reportedly withdraw from Turkey

Around half of the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) militants in Turkey has withdrawn from the country since May 8, Turkish Daily News reported Tuesday. About 150 PKK militants in three groups recently left the cities of Diyarbakir, Bingol and Bitlis and headed for Metina camp in northern Iraq, said the report. More PKK members in rural areas near the Black Sea and Sivas province have also started moving to northern Iraq. Earlier, PKK leader Delal Amed at the Metina camp accused the Turkish government of building new military outposts to guard against the militants of his group. However, he promised they would withdraw as planned despite these measures. Also, Amed called on Ankara to take necessary steps to move forward to the second stage of the settlement process, which consists of constitutional and legislative amendments that would bring democratic reforms for Kurds. Turkey had been holding peace negotiations with PKK's jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan since last October, on March 21, Ocalan finally made an announcement of ceasefire and withdrawal, which was positively responded by his militant group.