Kurdistan Workers' Party rebels to withdraw from May 8 after three decades of fighting that claimed about 40,000 lives.

The Kurdish group the PKK has announced it will withdraw its thousands of fighters from Turkey starting on May 8.


The military leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Murat Karayilan, has said PKK will begin to withdraw from Turkey in early May.


"The withdrawal is planned in phases... and will be completed as soon as possible," he said at a news briefing.


Mr Karayilan announced the withdrawal to journalists gathered at a PKK base in the stronghold of the Kandil mountains in northern Iraq.