"We are the first group to reach the safe area in Iraq," said Jagar, the leader of the group of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) fighters, which comprised nine men and six women.

The fighters, who arrived about 6:00 am (0300 GMT) and were armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles, light machineguns and rocket-propelled grenade launchers, were greeted with handshakes and hugs from PKK members based in Iraq.

After the welcome, the apparently-exhausted fighters put down their weapons and went to a fire to warm themselves.

The PKK has fought a 29-year nationalist campaign against Ankara in which some 45,000 people have died, but is now withdrawing its fighters from Turkey into Iraq as part of a peace drive with Turkish authorities.

The roughly 2,000 fighters in Turkey are leaving on foot, travelling through the rugged border zone to reach their safe havens in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, where they will join the thousands of fighters already present.