After four decades of conflict, Öcalan urges PKK to lay down arms, disband

Abdullah Öcalan, the leader of the banned Kurdish insurgent group, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), has called on members of the organization to lay down their arms and disband after over four decades of conflict with the Turkish state.

In a long-awaited statement, which was read out by deputies of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Freedom and Democracy Party (DEM) in Istanbul, Öcalan urged the PKK to end its armed struggle, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

"The group has completed its life like its counterparts and necessitated its dissolution," Öcalan declared in his message.

He also highlighted the historical alliance between Turks and Kurds, asserting that both groups had maintained a mutual bond throughout history. "Throughout the history exceeding 1,000 years, Turks and Kurds have always considered it necessary to remain in an alliance, with a predominantly voluntary aspect, in order to maintain their existence and to survive against hegemonic powers," Öcalan wrote.

Öcalan’s call comes in the context of a broader political shift, as he referenced recent political developments in Türkiye. "In this climate created by the call made by (Nationalist Movement Party leader) Devlet Bahçeli, the will displayed by President (Recep Tayyip Erdoğan) and the positive approaches of other political parties towards the known call, I call for laying down arms and assume the historical responsibility of this call," he concluded.

This statement follows a meeting on February 27 between senior DEM officials and Öcalan, part of renewed peace efforts between the Turkish government and the banned Kurdish group. The call for disarmament could potentially bring an end to a conflict that has spanned over 40 years and resulted in tens of thousands of deaths.

Despite being imprisoned on the island of Imrali since 1999 for charges of treason, Öcalan, now 75 years old, continues to wield significant influence over the PKK. Analysts predict that the PKK’s leadership is likely to heed Öcalan’s call, though some factions within the group could resist.

The PKK, founded by Öcalan in 1978, has waged an insurgency in southeastern Türkiye since 1984. The Turkish government and its Western allies consider the group a terrorist organization. Previous peace efforts, including a notable attempt in 2015, have failed to bring an enduring resolution to the conflict. 

By Vafa Guliyeva