The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a designated terrorist group in Turkey, the EU, the UK, and the US, has officially announced a ceasefire with Turkey. This decision follows a significant appeal from Abdullah Ocalan, the group’s imprisoned leader, who urged the movement to disarm and dissolve itself. Ocalan has been held in solitary confinement since 1999, and his recent statements are viewed as a potential turning point in the long-standing conflict.
Ceasefire declaration and calls for Ocalan’s release
In a statement issued on Saturday, the PKK expressed its hope that Turkey would consider releasing Ocalan, enabling him to orchestrate a disarmament process. The ceasefire declaration coincides with Ocalan’s call to end over four decades of armed conflict in southeastern Turkey, a struggle that has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands.
This announcement comes shortly after Devlet Bahceli, the leader of Turkey’s Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and an ally of the government, initiated efforts aimed at resolving the conflict. Ocalan, affectionately known as Apo among Kurdish nationalists, met with members of the pro-Kurdish party this week on Imrali Island, where he is imprisoned.
“In order to pave the way for the implementation of leader Apo’s call for peace and democratic society, we are declaring a ceasefire effective from today,” the PKK executive committee stated.
Implications of the ceasefire
The PKK emphasized that no armed actions would be taken unless provoked. Furthermore, they highlighted the necessity to improve Ocalan’s prison conditions, advocating for his ability to live and work in relative freedom and to maintain unrestricted communication with others.
Since its insurgency began in 1984, the PKK has sought to establish a homeland for the Kurdish population in Turkey, which constitutes about 20% of the nation’s 85 million residents. Ocalan’s appeal for disarmament, expressed through a letter read by pro-Kurdish politicians, indicated that “all groups must lay their arms and the PKK must dissolve itself,” as the movement had originally emerged due to the suppression of democratic political channels.
The ongoing dialogue between political factions has led many Kurdish leaders to view this ceasefire positively. Reports indicate that thousands of individuals gathered in key cities such as Diyarbakir and Van to witness the PKK’s announcement on large screens.
Despite the optimistic developments, there are lingering uncertainties about the future among both Kurdish and Turkish populations. Concerns were voiced, particularly after senior PKK commander Duran Kalkan suggested that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) was not genuinely pursuing a resolution but rather aimed at domination and destruction.
Moreover, Turkish-backed forces have escalated their military operations against Kurdish factions in northeastern Syria, urging the new Syrian leadership to dismantle the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. The political climate has also seen a crackdown on pro-Kurdish politicians, with numerous arrests and convictions occurring in recent years.
Since the onset of the PKK’s insurgency, around 40,000 lives have been lost. A surge in violence was noted between 2015 and 2017, during which a two-and-a-half-year ceasefire collapsed. More recently, in October, the PKK claimed responsibility for an attack on the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) headquarters near Ankara, resulting in five fatalities.