Kurdistan Workers' Party moves to dismantle amid peace bid
The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has announced its dissolution and disarmament. It also declared an end to the conflict with Turkey that has lasted over four decades. The decision was announced on Monday by the group-affiliated Firat news agency.
What do you need to know?
- PKK has announced plans to dissolve and disarm, which could end the four-decade-long conflict with Turkey.
- The decision was announced as part of a new peace initiative with Ankara.
- The party congress was held in northern Iraq, which was a key step towards making this decision.
Historic decision
The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has announced that it plans to dissolve and disarm. This historic move aims to end the four-decade-long conflict with Turkey. This decision is part of a broad peace initiative aimed at ending the prolonged conflict, which has cost around 40,000 lives and impacted regional stability.
"We assessed that our struggle halted the policy of annihilation of our people, bringing the Kurdish issue to a point where it can be resolved through democratic politics, and in this regard, we have fulfilled our historical mission," the PKK wrote in a comment on the May congress.
"On this basis, we decided to dismantle the organizational structure of the PKK and end the method of armed struggle," it explained.
Omer Celik, spokesperson for Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, wrote on social media that "the implementation of PKK's resolutions will be of critical importance." He added that state institutions will closely monitor the process of the group's dissolution.
What does PKK's decision mean for Turkey?
The decision to dissolve the PKK was announced just a few days after the party congress, which was held in northern Iraq. The PKK announced a ceasefire, responding to the appeal of leader Abdullah Ocalan for the organization to dissolve itself. The dissolution and disarmament of the PKK could bring long-awaited peace to the region, which has been a conflict zone for years.
PKK, recognized as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the EU, and the US, has been rebelling against the Turkish state for four decades. The fights have also taken place in neighbouring Iraq and Syria, in addition to Turkey itself. Captured in Kenya in 1999, Ocalan is imprisoned on an island south of Istanbul.
Some Turkish commentators have noted that by initiating the peace process, Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, aims to gain the support of Kurdish deputies for the introduction of constitutional changes that would allow him to extend his power. According to current regulations, Erdogan's current term as the head of state is the last one. The next presidential elections are scheduled for 2028.
Source: Aljazeera, New Sky, PAP
