Turkish Kurdistan’s militant group, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), declared an end to its armed struggle against Turkey in a rare online video by its jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan. In the recording, dated June and released by the PKK-affiliated Firat News Agency, Ocalan called for the disarmament process to be overseen by Turkey’s parliament.
Ocalan stated that the phase of armed struggle has ended and urged the group to transition into democratic politics. The video comes a day after Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin visited Baghdad for high-level meetings with Iraqi officials on strengthening border security.
The PKK, which launched its insurgency in 1984, has been locked in a bloody conflict with Turkey for over four decades, killing more than 40,000 people and imposing a heavy economic burden. The group had previously announced its intention to disband, following an initial written appeal from Ocalan in February.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/jailed-pkk-leader-ocalan-says-armed-struggle-over-urges-democratic-transition-2025-07-09