Kurds In Turkey Move Toward Peace

The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) declared a ceasefire over the weekend following a call for peace from its imprisoned leader, Abdullah Öcalan, a move that marks a potential turning point in the decades-long conflict with Turkey that has claimed more than 40,000 lives, NPR reported.

On Thursday, Öcalan – held in Turkey’s Imrali Island prison since 1999 – called for his fighters to lay down their arms and for the PKK to dissolve itself. His message was delivered by the Imrali Delegation, which included members of Turkey’s pro-Kurdish People’s Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party.

Over the weekend, the PKK’s executive committee responded by affirming its willingness to comply but insisted that a party congress must first take place under Öcalan’s leadership and within a secure environment, Middle East Eye wrote.

Since the 1980s, the PKK has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state, initially seeking independence before shifting to demands for greater Kurdish autonomy.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hailed the ceasefire declaration as a “new phase” in ending the conflict, describing it as an opportunity to dismantle the “wall of terror” between Turkish and Kurdish communities.

Some analysts have suggested the move aligns with Erdoğan’s efforts to secure Kurdish support for a constitutional amendment that would allow him to run for reelection in 2028.

However, his administration has simultaneously increased pressure on pro-Kurdish political movements, recently replacing elected mayors with government-appointed officials.

The decision comes amid shifting political and security dynamics in the region, following last year’s ousting of Syrian President Bashar Assad, potentially influencing the PKK’s shift.

While the PKK’s announcement signals the first substantial step toward peace in a decade, skepticism remains. Security analysts cautioned that divisions within the PKK and among its regional allies, including the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, could complicate the process.

For example, the PKK’s leadership in Iraq’s Qandil Mountains has become increasingly autonomous and may impose its own conditions before disbanding.

Meanwhile, some factions questioned Erdoğan’s intentions, given ongoing crackdowns on Kurdish political activists, journalists, and local governments.

If the ceasefire holds, it could pave the way for broader reconciliation efforts. However, analysts cautioned that a return to conflict remains a possibility if political conditions do not improve for the Kurdish population in Turkey.