The conflict between Turkey and the PKK, which initially started with the aim of creating a Kurdish state, has led to tens of thousands of deaths since it began in 1984.
PKK militants who have waged a 40-year insurgency in Turkey have declared a ceasefire, two days after their imprisoned leader called for the group to disarm.
The statement from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party was published by the Firat News Agency, a media outlet which is close to the group.
Referring to Abdullah Öcalan, who has been imprisoned by Turkey since 1999, the group said, “We declare a ceasefire effective today to pave the way for the implementation of Leader Apo’s Call for Peace and Democratic Society. None of our forces will take armed action unless attacked.”
The PKK announcement comes against the backdrop of fundamental changes in the region, including the reconfiguration of power in neighbouring Syria after the ouster of President Bashar Al Assad, the weakening of Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Israel-Hamas war in Gaz.
The conflict between Turkey and the PKK has led to tens of thousands of deaths since it began in 1984.
Its initial aim was the creation of a separate Kurdish state but later changed to demands for greater autonomy.
Saturday’s ceasefire is the first sign of a breakthrough since peace talks between the group and Ankara broke down in the summer of 2015.
A campaign of pressure
On Thursday, a delegation of Kurdish politicians announced Öcalan’s call for the PKK to lay down its arms and disband after visiting him in prison.
In its statement, the PKK’s executive committee said Öcalan’s call indicated that a “new historical process has begun in Kurdistan and the Middle East.” Kurdistan refers to the parts of Turkey, Iraq, Syria and Iran inhabited by Kurds.
While stating that it would “comply with and implement the requirements of the call from our own side,” the PKK emphasized that “democratic politics and legal grounds must also be suitable for success.”
Öcalan’s call came as the main pro-Kurdish political party in Turkey has faced pressure, with several of its mayors being removed from office in recent months and replaced by government appointees.
The PKK also appealed for Öcalan to be released from Imrali prison, located on an island in the Marmara Sea, to “personally direct and execute” a party congress that would lead to the militants laying down their arms.
The peace initiative between the Turkish state and the PKK, which is considered a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the EU, the US and other Western allies, was started in October by Erdoğan’s coalition partner, Devlet Bahceli, a far-right politician who suggested that Öcalan could be granted parole if his group renounces violence and disbands.
Erdoğan said Öcalan’s message was a “new phase” in peace efforts in Turkey.
“There is an opportunity to take a historic step toward tearing down the wall of terror that has stood between (Turkish and Kurdish peoples’) 1,000-year-old brotherhood,” Erdoğan said on Friday.
Erdoğan’s allies eye Kurdish support
Some believe the main aim of the reconciliation effort is for Erdoğan’s government to garner Kurdish support for a new constitution that would allow him to remain in power beyond 2028, when his term ends.
Bahceli has openly called for a new constitution, saying it was essential for Turkey’s future that Erdoğan remain in power. Erdoğan and Bahceli are reportedly seeking parliamentary support from the pro-Kurdish People’s Equality and Democracy Party (DEM).
“There will be a series of meetings next week, including state officials and politicians, and many things will become clearer and more concrete. We hope that everything will be arranged in the next three months,” said Sirri Sureyya Onder, one of the DEM members who visited Öcalan in prison.
Öcalan, 75, wields significant influence in the Kurdish movement despite his 25-year imprisonment, during which the PKK has been led by top figures who have fled and found sanctuary in the Kurdish region in northern Iraq.
Kurdish fighters in Syria, who have ties to the PKK, have been involved in intense fighting with Turkish-backed forces in the region.
The leader of the US-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces has said Öcalan’s call for a ceasefire does not apply to the group in Syria.
The Turkish government however insists all groups with links to the PKK, whether in Turkey, Syria or Iraq, must disband.
In recent years, the PKK has been limited to isolated attacks inside Turkey as the Turkish military, backed by armed drones, has pushed PKK insurgents increasingly across the mountainous border into Iraq.
Read the full article here