Fighters with a Kurdish separatist militant group that has waged a decades-long insurgency in Turkey began laying down their weapons in a symbolic ceremony on Friday in northern Iraq, the first concrete step toward a promised disarmament as part of a peace process.

While the PKK has announced its dissolution and intention to stop fighting, clashes continue in Iraqi Kurdistan between Kurdish guerrillas and the Turkish army. Turkish forces seek to neutralise

Disarmament process begins in northern Iraq after long-jailed leader calls on PKK to disband Ceremony attended by Turkish, Iraqi officials and pro-Kurdish DEM party Disarmament could bolster regional stability,