The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has taken a historic step by announcing its future plans and ending a four-month-long struggle that has lasted over forty years and developed into one of the most significant and intense conflict dramas in modern Turkey
This decision has become a symbolic turning point for the region, as its adoption will determine the fate and future of the Kurdish movement, as well as prospects for a peaceful resolution to the longstanding confrontation between Kurds and Ankara. According to reports from "Firat," an agency affiliated with sources close to the organization, May 12th was officially declared as the day of PKK’s dissolution and disarmament. The initiative to cease activities was supported following a congress held in northern Iraq earlier this month, where Kurdish leaders made the relevant decisions. This step marked the final act in the long history of PKK’s revolutionary efforts, rooted in demands for Kurdish autonomy and independence, as well as in the struggle for cultural and political rights of Kurds in the region. A particularly prominent aspect of this development was the appeal by the organization’s former leader, Abdullah Öcalan, who has been in Turkish custody since 1999. In February 2025, he called on his supporters to gather and decide on ending the armed struggle and transitioning to peaceful dialogue regarding the status of the Kurdish people. This was an important signal indicating a shift in the movement’s tactics — from armed conflict to political negotiations. Since early May, the PKK has unilaterally ceased military actions and called for dialogue, establishing conditions for possible future negotiations. These include implementing legal frameworks that would guarantee a democratic process and protect the rights of the Kurdish population in Turkey, which has fought for recognition and equality for many years. Participants at the congress noted that the decades-long armed resistance significantly advanced the Kurdish cause towards social awareness and policy change, and now it is time to end that era and switch to a democratic path. The conclusions drawn from this event imply that the organization considers its “historic mission” accomplished, and the time has come for a new phase — political, diplomatic, and cultural. In the context of this news, there is a backdrop of tense developments in Turkey: in February, law enforcement detained over 280 suspects as part of a large-scale operation against the PKK. The Istanbul authorities accused several of links to the Kurdish organization, including the popular Istanbul mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, who could potentially become a rival to current President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the upcoming elections. Additionally, several journalists from Sweden were detained, heightening international tensions surrounding Turkey’s fight against the Kurdish movement. Currently, these events mark not only a significant chapter in the history of the Kurdish national movement but also open up new challenges for regional politics, particularly concerning potential negotiations and diplomatic solutions. Nonetheless, the call for peace and the end of armed confrontation will undoubtedly serve as an important signal to all parties involved, as the long-standing conflict has left deep scars and requires a new approach to dialogue and compromise.