Turkish imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan has declared an end to his group’s armed insurgency against the Turkish state, announcing a peaceful transition to democratic politics. In a rare public appearance in 25 years, Mr. Ocalan said that the P.K.K.’s aim of recognizing the existence of the Kurdish people had been achieved, and that the group would now focus on peaceful social change.
The comments come after Mr. Ocalan called for disarmament in February, but given his significant influence among his followers, this public declaration could accelerate the process. The P.K.K., which has been waging an armed insurgency since the 1980s, claims it seeks greater rights for Turkey’s Kurds. Over 40,000 people have been killed in attacks on Turkish security forces and military operations.
Turkey, the US, and EU classify the P.K.K. as a terrorist organization. The peace process has proceeded slowly, with a congress held by the group in May announcing its decision to disband. However, no concessions are expected from Turkey on Kurdish demands for increased rights.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that ending the conflict would benefit Turkey’s future, while politicians supporting the process call for a parliamentary committee to develop a legal framework for disarmament. A full disarmament could end decades-long security threat and have implications in neighboring countries.
Mr. Ocalan was captured by Turkish intelligence in 1999 and given a life sentence, later commuted to life imprisonment on an island prison. He shifted the group’s ideology away from separatism toward community-based democracy and Kurdish autonomy within Turkey. The P.K.K.’s fight against Mr. Erdogan began before his rise to power, but has since become more intense.
The leader is seen as a potent symbol of Kurdish struggle for greater rights by many Kurds, while being despised by many Turks. A ceremony to destroy P.K.K. weapons is planned in northern Iraq next Friday, marking the group’s expected disbandment.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/09/world/middleeast/turkey-pkk-kurdish-leader-ocalan-armed-struggle.html