The PKK Kurdish militant group announced Monday that it will disband and disarm as part of a new peace initiative with Türkiye, ending four decades of armed conflict.
The decision by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, which promises to put an end to one of the longest insurgencies in the Middle East and could have significant impact in Türkiye, Syria and Iraq, was announced by the Firat News Agency, a media outlet close to the group. It comes days after the PKK convened a party congress in northern Iraq.
In February, PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, who has been imprisoned on an island near Istanbul since 1999, urged his group to convene a congress and formally decide to disband.
The call by Ocalan, 76, who continues to wield significant influence in the Kurdish movement despite his 25-year imprisonment, marked a pivotal step toward ending the decadeslong conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives since the 1980s.
Building on the momentum, the PKK announced a unilateral ceasefire on March 1, but attached conditions, including the creation of a legal framework for peace negotiations.
The conflict between Türkiye and the PKK has spilled over into northern Iraq and northern Syria, with Türkiye carrying out numerous incursions into the neighboring regions. The PKK is listed as a terror group by Türkiye and its Western allies.
In a statement carried by Firat news, the PKK announced its decision to end its “organizational structure,” suggesting that its armed struggle has successfully challenged policies that sought to suppress Kurdish rights.
The congress assessed that the PKK’s struggle had “brought the Kurdish issue to the point of resolution through democratic politics, thus completing its historical mission,” according to the statement.
"As a result, activities carried out under the name ‘PKK’ were formally terminated,” the statement said.
Türkiye’s governing party welcomed the announcement “as a significant step toward the goal of a terror-free Türkiye.”
“If terrorism is completely eradicated, it will open the door to a new era,” Omer Celik, spokesman for President Recep Erdogan’s party, wrote on the X social media platform.
Celik, however, said the decision must apply to all “PKK branches, affiliates and illegal structures.” He did not elaborate but the statement appeared to be in reference to Kurdish fighters in Syria, who have ties to the PKK and have been involved in intense fighting with Turkish-backed forces on the ground there.
The leader of the US-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces had previously stated that Ocalan’s call for a ceasefire does not apply to his group in Syria.
Details of the peace initiative have not been made public and it was not clear how the process would proceed, including how weapons would be disposed of and who would monitor the procedures.
The future of PKK fighters remains uncertain, including whether they may be relocated to third countries. Any concessions the PKK might obtain in exchange for its decision to disband have not been disclosed.
Previous peace efforts between Türkiye and the group — most recently in 2015 — have ended with failure.
In recent years, the PKK has been limited to isolated attacks inside Türkiye as the Turkish military, backed by armed drones, has pushed PKK insurgents increasingly across the mountainous border into Iraq.
The latest peace initiative was launched in October by Erdogan’s coalition partner, Devlet Bahceli, a far-right politician who suggested that Ocalan could be granted parole if his group renounces violence and disbands.
Some believe the main aim of the reconciliation effort is for Erdogan’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 is essential for Türkiye’s future that Erdogan remain in power. Erdogan and Bahceli are reportedly seeking parliamentary support from the pro-Kurdish People’s Equality and Democracy Party, or DEM.
The PKK’s announcement could mark a major gain for Erdogan, whose government is grappling with political tensions following the arrest of Istanbul’s Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on corruption charges. Many see the imprisonment of the mayor, who is the opposition’s strongest challenger to Erdogan’s more than two-decade rule, as politically motivated. The government insists Turkey’s judiciary operates independently.
