PKK leader to urge supporters to lay down arms in move toward ending conflict with Türkiye

Abdullah Öcalan, the leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is designated as a terrorist organization by Ankara, may soon appeal to his supporters to end the long-running armed struggle against Türkiye.

Öcalan, who has been serving a life sentence on Imrali Island since 1999, is reportedly preparing to issue a call for peace, urging PKK militants to lay down their weapons and bring an end to the decades-old conflict, Caliber.Az reports citing Turkish media.

Öcalan's appeal is expected to be addressed to PKK members stationed in northern Iraq and Syria, as well as the organization’s supporters across Europe. The message is anticipated to take the form of either a handwritten letter or a video address following further visits to Öcalan by representatives from the pro-Kurdish Democratic Party (DEM). These representatives met with Öcalan most recently in December, and it is anticipated that his appeal could be delivered by mid-February.

In parallel, Türkiye has submitted to the new Syrian authorities a list of senior PKK and YPG (People’s Defence Units) leaders operating in Syria, requesting their expulsion from the country. The Turkish government has long sought to dismantle the PKK’s network in Syria, and this move is seen as part of broader diplomatic efforts to curtail the group’s influence in the region.

On January 4, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan issued a stark warning to the PKK, declaring that the group had no option but to lay down its arms. Erdoğan stated, "Either the militants will bury their weapons in the ground, or they will be buried with them. There is no third way." This statement underscores Türkiye’s firm stance on the matter, emphasizing that the Turkish government is prepared to continue its military operations against the PKK if necessary.

Öcalan, who founded the PKK in 1978, was sentenced to death in 1999 for his role in leading the group. His sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment after Türkiye abolished the death penalty. In 2013, Öcalan called for a ceasefire between the PKK and Türkiye, leading to a temporary halt in hostilities. However, the peace process collapsed in 2015 after Turkish military operations in northern Iraq escalated, and the PKK declared an end to the ceasefire. 

The conflict between Türkiye and the PKK, which began in 1984, has resulted in thousands of casualties on both sides. The Turkish government considers the PKK a significant national security threat and regularly conducts military operations against the group in northern Iraq, Syria, and within Türkiye itself. According to the Turkish Ministry of Defence, more than 3,000 Kurdish militants were killed in operations in northern Syria and Iraq over the past year alone.

As the situation unfolds, Öcalan's anticipated appeal and the ongoing military operations in the region suggest a potential turning point in the decades-long conflict, though it remains uncertain whether the PKK will heed the call to end armed struggle.

By Vafa Guliyeva