ANKARA, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that the country is making progress toward its long-standing goal of eliminating terrorism within its borders, attributing the success to the efforts of all relevant state institutions.

At a parliamentary group meeting of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), Erdogan referred to the disarmament of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and its withdrawal from Türkiye's territory, saying the country is entering a new and decisive phase.

"Thanks to the extraordinary efforts of all our relevant institutions, we are walking with firm steps toward a terror-free Türkiye. We have clearly reached a new crossroads," he added.

Calling for national unity, Erdogan urged all segments of society and political actors to take responsibility and actively contribute to the peace process.

The PKK, which has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984, announced in May its decision to disarm and disband following a call from its jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan to end the armed struggle. The long-running conflict has claimed over 40,000 lives.

The first group of PKK fighters laid down and burned their arms in July, marking the start of the disarmament process. In late October, PKK announced it is withdrawing fighters from Turkiye to Iraq.

Ocalan, who founded the PKK in 1978, has been held in near-total isolation on Imrali Island in the Marmara Sea off Istanbul since 1999. The PKK is designated as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States, and the European Union. ■