Kurdish lawmakers in Turkey said Wednesday they would end their boycott of parliament and take their oath of office later this week.

Selahattin Demirtas, chairman of the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party said the decision was taken to work for peace in Turkey.

The party led the boycott after the June parliamentary elections. Some of the Kurdish lawmakers were barred from taking their seats because of alleged involvement in terrorist activities.

Turkey's large Kurdish minority has been long been demanding more political recognition in the country.

Menwhile, miliants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party based in northern Iraq have stepped up their attacks inside Turkey, sparking Turkish military bombing raids against their bases.

The government has blamed the PKK for an explosion last week in the capital, Ankara, that killed several people.

The United States, the European Union and Turkey consider the PKK a terrorist organization.

The PKK took up arms in its fight for Kurdish autonomy in the region in 1984. About 45,000 people have died in the conflict.