Öcalan's Call for PKK Disbandment: A Step Toward Peace

Thursday 27 February 2025 - 16:34

Abdullah Öcalan, the founder and long-time leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), has called for the disbandment of the militant group, marking a significant development in the ongoing conflict. On February 27, 2025, Öcalan, speaking from his prison near Istanbul, declared that all factions must lay down their arms and dissolve the PKK. This announcement represents a crucial moment in the history of the PKK, which was founded in 1978 with the aim of liberating Kurdistan and has been responsible for decades of violent guerrilla warfare.

Öcalan previously urged the PKK to cease its armed struggle in 2013, during Kurdish New Year, when peace talks with the Turkish government under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan were underway. However, a ceasefire collapsed after a deadly Kurdish-targeted bombing in July 2015, which resulted in 34 deaths.

Since then, Turkish military operations against the PKK intensified, with airstrikes in Iraq and a large-scale military offensive in southeastern Turkey. These actions led to daily violent clashes, including bombings in major cities such as Istanbul and Ankara. In response, the Turkish government cracked down on pro-Kurdish political parties. Over time, PKK fighters retreated into northern Iraq and Syria, while Turkey expanded its military presence in northern Syria to create a "safe zone" for border security.

The latest development came after years of military deadlock. The leader of the nationalist MHP party, an ally of President Erdoğan, extended an offer to Öcalan to call for the PKK's disarmament and make a public address in Turkey's Parliament. This resulted in multiple meetings between Öcalan and Kurdish parliamentarians from the pro-Kurdish DEM party. These talks culminated in the February 27 announcement calling for peace and the dissolution of the PKK.