Ocalan urges PKK to disarm and dissolve

In a significant development for Turkey's decades-long Kurdish conflict, imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan has called for his militant group to lay down arms and dissolve. Speaking through a message delivered by pro-Kurdish politicians who visited him in his Imrali island prison, the 75-year-old Ocalan urged the Kurdistan Workers' Party to convene a congress and make the decision to disband.

This peace initiative was reportedly started in October by Devlet Bahceli, President Erdogan's far-right coalition partner, who suggested Ocalan could be granted parole if his group renounces violence. The effort comes at a politically strategic time when Erdogan may need support from the pro-Kurdish DEM party to enact constitutional changes that could extend his presidency.

Ocalan, who has been imprisoned since 1999 but maintains significant influence over the PKK, emphasized in his message that democratic consensus is now the fundamental path forward. He noted that the original reasons for armed struggle, including Turkey's refusal to recognize Kurdish identity, no longer justify armed conflict.

In Kurdish-majority cities like Diyarbakir and Van, people gathered in celebration of the announcement. Similar celebrations occurred in northeastern Syria, where Kurds hope an end to the PKK-Turkey conflict would also resolve fighting between Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces and Turkish-backed groups.

SDF commander Mazloum Abdi welcomed Ocalan's announcement but clarified that the disarmament call applies only to the PKK, not to SDF forces. Turkish government officials expressed hope that the PKK would heed Ocalan's call, with one stating it would free Turkey "from its shackles."

The PKK, founded by Ocalan in 1978, has led an insurgency since 1984 that has claimed tens of thousands of lives.