The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) announced a ceasefire on Saturday, signaling a potential turning point in its decades-long conflict with Turkey. The declaration, published by the Firat News Agency—a media outlet aligned with the group—follows a call from its imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan, to lay down arms and disband. Ocalan, held in Turkey’s Imrali prison since 1999, issued the appeal during a rare visit by Kurdish politicians on Thursday.
“We declare a ceasefire effective today to pave the way for the implementation of Leader Apo’s Call for Peace and Democratic Society. None of our forces will take armed action unless attacked,” the PKK statement read, using Ocalan’s nickname, “Apo.” The group’s executive committee hailed the move as the start of a “new historical process” for Kurdistan and the Middle East, referring to Kurdish-inhabited regions across Turkey, Iraq, Syria, and Iran.
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The ceasefire marks the first significant breakthrough since peace talks between the PKK and the Turkish government collapsed in 2015. The conflict, which began in 1984, has claimed tens of thousands of lives. While pledging to comply with Ocalan’s directive, the PKK stressed that “democratic politics and legal grounds” must align for the initiative to succeed. It also called for Ocalan’s release from Imrali prison in the Marmara Sea, arguing he should personally oversee a party congress to finalize the disarmament process.
The peace effort traces back to October, when Devlet Bahceli—leader of Turkey’s far-right Nationalist Movement Party and coalition partner to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan—proposed Ocalan’s parole contingent on the PKK renouncing violence and dissolving. Erdogan welcomed Ocalan’s message as a “new phase” in reconciliation efforts, stating on Friday that it offers “an opportunity to take a historic step toward tearing down the wall of terror” separating Turks and Kurds after centuries of shared history.
However, the initiative coincides with mounting political pressure on Turkey’s pro-Kurdish People’s Equality and Democracy Party (DEM), whose mayors have been ousted and replaced by government appointees in recent months. Some analysts speculate that Erdogan’s government aims to secure Kurdish backing for a new constitution that could extend his presidency beyond 2028, a goal Bahceli has publicly endorsed as vital for Turkey’s future.
Ocalan, 75, remains a towering figure in the Kurdish movement despite 25 years behind bars. In his absence, PKK leadership has operated from northern Iraq’s Kurdish region, where Turkish military operations—bolstered by armed drones—have confined the group’s activities to sporadic attacks within Turkey. In Syria, Kurdish fighters linked to the PKK have clashed with Turkish-backed forces, though the leader of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces clarified that Ocalan’s ceasefire call does not apply to his group. Turkey, however, insists all PKK-affiliated factions across the region must disband.
Designated a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies, the PKK’s latest move has sparked cautious optimism, though its success hinges on Ankara’s response and the broader political landscape.
Key Points: PKK Ceasefire Call for Peace
Ceasefire Declared: The PKK announced a ceasefire on Saturday, effective immediately, pledging no armed action unless attacked, as reported by the Firat News Agency.
Ocalan’s Influence: The move follows a call from imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan to lay down arms and disband, issued after a visit by Kurdish politicians on Thursday.
Historic Shift: The PKK views Ocalan’s directive as the start of a “new historical process” for Kurdistan and the Middle East; it seeks his release to oversee disarmament.
Conflict Context: The Turkey-PKK conflict, ongoing since 1984 with tens of thousands dead, sees its first major breakthrough since peace talks failed in 2015.
Political Dynamics: Initiated by Erdogan’s far-right ally Devlet Bahceli, the peace effort may tie to garnering Kurdish support for a new constitution to extend Erdogan’s rule past 2028.
Regional Scope: Turkey demands all PKK-linked groups in Iraq and Syria disband, though Syria’s Kurdish-led SDF says the ceasefire doesn’t apply to them.
Erdogan’s Stance: Erdogan calls it a “new phase” to end the “wall of terror” between Turks and Kurds, amid pressure on Turkey’s pro-Kurdish DEM party.
