Inside Qandil: PKK Fighters Describe Life in Iraq’s Mountain Bunkers as Group Renounces Armed Struggle

A Kurdish fighter picks his way along a steep switchback track in the Qandil range of northern Iraq, then pauses to alert comrades in a nearby concealed bunker that visitors are arriving. After signaling from a phone hung on a tree, he leads guests into an underground complex that serves as a rear base for the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

"A peace process doesn't mean leaving the mountains," says Serda Mazlum Gabar, a 47-year-old commander with rust-coloured hair and a steady smile. "Even if we leave, we will live the same way. Nature doesn't scare me, but I wouldn't feel safe walking around a city, with its cars, smoke and traffic."

Historic shift, cautious transition

Following a directive from the group's imprisoned founder, Abdullah Ocalan, the PKK has taken notable steps toward ending its long conflict with Turkey, a struggle that has cost thousands of lives. The group has publicly renounced armed struggle and held symbolic acts — including the burning of weapons by some members — even as many personnel in Qandil were still seen carrying rifles during recent visits.

Commanders interviewed in the region say the guerrilla lifestyle will not disappear overnight. Instead, they predict it will adapt into new roles that they describe as more political and community-focused. "We were not forced into this life. We chose it," Gabar says.

Daily life underground

At the bunker entrance, a large fan forces fresh air down a duct into a concealed tunnel. The passage opens into a wider corridor where fighters and commanders in olive-green fatigues or traditional sirwal and vests greet visitors. Rooms branch off the corridor, each serving a specific function — from a women’s quarters decorated with plants and string lights to a communications room that maintains contact with units across the mountains.

Inside, portraits of Ocalan and of fallen fighters hang on the walls. In the kitchen, members roll dough for lahmajun — flatbread topped with meat — while others watch television, drink tea or talk in the corridors. New arrivals who withdrew from operations in Turkey say they relocated to demonstrate their commitment to the current peace push.

Vejin Dersim, who joined the PKK at 23 and spent most of her time in southeastern Turkey, says leaving was emotional. "It is a very special place there, especially because we were closer to leader Apo," she says, using Ocalan's nickname. Devrim Palu, who joined in 1999 and has also returned to the Qandil area, adds: "In our movement, it doesn't matter where you are fighting, and one doesn't stay in one place. Today is the time for change."

History, shelter and terrain

For decades the group has used mountains in northern Iraq and southeastern Turkey as sanctuary. Qandil became a focal point after fighters moved from caves to purpose-built bunkers that offered more secure refuge. "I could drive these mountains with my eyes closed," one member said, describing how familiarity with the terrain gives them an operational advantage.

Designation and outlook: The PKK remains designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union. Commanders say a transition toward political and democratic engagement is possible, but they also acknowledge uncertainty about how quickly and completely armed practices will be set aside. The scene in Qandil reflects a group navigating a fragile shift between decades of armed struggle and a claimed new political phase.