Kurdish militants have announced a ceasefire with Turkey following a significant request from Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the PKK, who called for the group to disband. This marks the PKK’s first response to Öcalan’s recent call for the dissolution of the group and an end to armed conflict with the Turkish state, a struggle that has continued for over 40 years.
The PKK, labeled a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the EU, has been fighting to establish a homeland for Kurds, who constitute about 20% of Turkey’s population. Since Öcalan’s incarceration in 1999, numerous attempts have been made to stop the violence, which has resulted in over 40,000 deaths.
After several meetings with Öcalan on his island prison, the pro-Kurdish DEM party conveyed his plea for the PKK to disarm and convene a congress to announce the organization’s dissolution. The PKK has agreed to convene a congress as Öcalan wishes but has requested a secure environment and for Öcalan to personally lead it for the congress’s success. They also demanded improved prison conditions for Öcalan, emphasizing his need for physical freedom and unrestricted communication.
The PKK’s ceasefire declaration comes after the collapse of the last peace talks in 2015, with no further communication until October, when a hardline nationalist ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan offered a surprise peace gesture contingent on Öcalan rejecting violence. Despite Erdoğan’s support for reconciliation, his government increased pressure on the opposition, arresting numerous politicians, activists, and journalists.
Erdoğan has labeled Öcalan’s appeal a “historic opportunity” and pledged that Turkey will closely monitor the talks to ensure a successful resolution to the insurgency. He stated that once terrorism and arms pressure are eliminated, the space for democratic politics will naturally expand. Iraq has also welcomed Öcalan’s call, viewing it as a “positive and important step towards achieving stability in the region.”
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/01/pkk-declares-ceasefire-with-turkey-after-40-years-kurdish
