ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — The Kurdish militant group PKK announced Monday that it is disbanding and renouncing armed conflict as part of a new peace initiative with Turkey, ending four decades of hostilities.
The decision by the PKK, or Kurdistan Workers’ Party, promises to end one of the longest insurgencies in the Middle East and could have significant impact in Turkey, Syria and Iraq. It was announced by the Firat News Agency, a media outlet close to the group, days after the PKK convened 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 and disarm.
The call by Ocalan, 76, who continues to wields significant influence in the Kurdish movement despite his 25-year imprisonment, marked a pivotal step toward ending the decades-long conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives since the 1980s.
Building on the momentum, the PKK announced but attached conditions, including the creation of a legal framework for peace negotiations.
The conflict between Turkey and the PKK has spilled over into northern Iraq and northern Syria, with Turkey carrying out numerous incursions into the neighboring regions. The PKK is listed as a terror group by Turkey and its Western allies.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed the PKK’s latest announcement, saying it would lead to stronger security and regional peace.
“We have crossed another critical threshold in the process toward a terror-free Turkey,” he said.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the PKK announcement, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. “This decision, if implemented, represents another important step towards the peaceful resolution of a long-standing conflict.”
PKK says group has completed its ‘historical mission’
In a statement carried by Firat, the PKK announced its decision to end its “organizational structure" and suggested 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.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan described the decision as “historic,” but said the government would closely monitor the steps the group takes.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani said the peace agreement "will also contribute to the stability of the region.”
Turkey says decision should apply to all PKK affiliates
Erdogan said the declaration should apply to all PKK-affiliated groups: “We consider this announcement to encompass all of the organization’s branches, including those in northern Iraq, Syria and Europe."
Kurdish fighters in Syria have ties to the PKK and have been involved in intense fighting with Turkish-backed forces there. The leader of the U.S.-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces previously said Ocalan’s call for a dissolution does not apply to his group in Syria. The group then reached an agreement with the central government in Damascus for a nationwide ceasefire and its merger into the Syrian army.
Details of the PKK's peace initiative have not been made public. The future of its fighters remains uncertain, including whether they may be relocated to third countries.
Some analysts have suggested the Kurdish movement could potentially receive concessions including improvement in Ocalan's prison conditions, release or amnesty for jailed Kurdish politicians — including Selahattin Demirtas, the former leader of the country's pro-Kurdish party — and guarantees against the removal from office of Kurdish mayors.
Previous peace efforts between Turkey and the group — most recently in 2015 — ended in failure.
Dozens of people gathered Monday outside a mosque in the mainly Kurdish city of Diyarbakir, celebrating the announcement with a traditional dance.
“The people of this region are tired of this war,” said resident Tekin Ergin. “The PKK’s decision to disband is the right decision and a timely decision.”
Why is the peace initiative happening now?
In recent years, the PKK has been limited to isolated attacks inside Turkey as the Turkish military, backed by armed drones, has pushed its insurgents increasingly across the mountainous border into Iraq.
The latest peace initiative was launched in October by Erdogan’s coalition partner, , 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 called for a new constitution, saying it is essential for Turkey’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 declaration could mark a major gain for Erdogan, whose government is grappling with political tensions following the arrest of Istanbul’s 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.
Sinan Ulgen, director of the Istanbul-based Edam think tank, cited both domestic and international drivers for the new peace initiative.
“The domestic driver can be explained by Erdogan’s aspiration to secure additional support in parliament in order to pave the path to his potential candidacy for the next round of presidential elections,” Ulgen said.
Internationally, Ulgen said, factors such as the change of administration in Syria and Iran’s weakening after being targeted by Israel, had left the PKK “more vulnerable than in the past.”
Could the PKK splinter?
"This does not mean that the road is clear of all hurdles,” Ulgen added, warning of possible splits within the PKK.
“We’ve seen this sort of dynamics around the world,” Ulgen said. “Whether it is IRA or other entities that have decided to lay down arms, there is the prospect of a split, with one wing being in compliance with the objective, but the more radical wing continuing with the fight.”
Bahceli said he hoped “the bloody chapter will be closed forever, never to be reopened.”
The politician called for careful consideration of the steps to follow, including the timing and method of arms collection, monitoring the possible transitions of PKK members into groups in Syria, distinguishing members involved in criminal activities from those who were not, and deciding the appropriate course action concerning the group’s leadership.
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Associated Press writers Cinar Kiper in Bodrum, Turkey, Mucahit Ceylan in Diyarbakir, Turkey, and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed.
