Kurdish rebels are unlikely to complete their announced withdrawal from Turkey into their safe haven in northern Iraq until autumn, the insurgents' top commander said in an interview on Saturday. Murat Karayilan also called on Turkish authorities to let a delegation from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) to visit their jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan so that he could help convince rebels to participate in the withdrawal. Kurdish rebels announced on Thursday that they would begin withdrawing on May 8, amid a new peace drive between Ankara and Ocalan.

Turkey said Friday its forces would show "great care" during a pullback starting next month by Kurdish rebels heading back to their bases in Iraq, in a major step to end three decades of hostilities. "Our armed forces, and collective security forces will do their tasks with great care and attention," Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said on Turkish television, without elaborating further.

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Kurdish militants who have fought a decades-old insurgency against Turkey will start their withdrawal from Turkish territory in two weeks, advancing peace a peace process meant to end a conflict which has killed more than 40,000. Following are details on the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

Kurdish rebels announced on Thursday they would on May 8 begin withdrawing from Turkey into their safe haven in northern Iraq amid a peace drive between Ankara and the rebel movement. But the armed group warned Turkey's powerful military against "provocations" which would see the end of the pledged withdrawal by outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) fighters. "As part of ongoing preparations, the withdrawal will begin on May 8, 2013," PKK leader Murat Karayilan was quoted as saying by the pro-Kurdish Firat news agency.