The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has announced plans to disband and disarm, marking a potential turning point in its decades-long conflict with Turkey.
The announcement came through Firat News Agency, a media outlet with close ties to the PKK.
The decision follows a call from imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, who in February urged the group to meet and formally decide to disband. Ocalan has been held on an island near Istanbul since 1999.
This decision was made during the group’s 12th Congress, held in northern Iraq. The PKK stated that it had “completed its historical mission” and would dissolve its organisational structure.
On March 1, the PKK declared a unilateral ceasefire, contingent on conditions including the creation of a new legal framework for peace negotiations.
The conflict, which began in 1984, has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths.
The PKK has been designated a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the United States, the European Union, and other countries. Its operations have extended beyond Turkey, with activities in neighboring countries such as Iraq and Syria. In recent years, the group has been involved in regional conflicts, including opposition to the Islamic State in Syria.
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