ERBIL, Kurdistan Region—The leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and member of its executive council Murat Karayilan says that his group will withdraw its forces from the Shingal region and that they are currently in negotiations with Erbil over the issue. In a statement published on PKK’s Sterk TV on Thursday, Karayilan said that there was no need for Erbil to use the threat of force with regards to the presence of his fighters in Shingal because such issues could only be solved through dialogue. Karayilan said that Kurdish unity mattered to the PKK especially at this “critical juncture”. “The period we are in is an important period in which the fate of our people will be determined. At such a time, the unity of the Kurdish people is more valuable than ever. We take this issue in a strategic way. Therefore, we want to solve all existing problems with dialogue.” “We are also fond of overcoming the internal and external problems of the Kurdish people with dialogue.” Karayilan’s statement reads. It goes on to say: “Even if these problems are not overcome, we have to build a platform, a common roof. In this sense, national unity is very important in terms of the future of our people. It is always in the interests of our people to be in a national unity as a Kurdish people so that the blood of the martyrs is not wasted.” Karayilan referred to remarks by Kurdish Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani who told al-monitor news outlet last week that he was ready to use force against the PKK if they did not leave Shingal voluntarily. The PKK leader said that negotiations have been underway with the Region’s ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) over the issue of their presence in Shingal and that the PKK was ready to leave the area at the conclusion of the talks. He added that this was the first time he revealed to the media that there were such talks between the PKK and the KDP. Karayilan also dismissed remarks by Turkish leaders that the PKK might turn the Shingal region into another Qandil, the rugged mountains where the group maintains its bases and leadership. “The AKP government is constantly trying to attract different points of the agenda, saying that Shingal will be a second Qandil,” he said. “First of all, I must point out that the geographical conditions of Shingal are not suitable for being a second Qandil. We are talking about a place that is remote and all flat.”
