Kurdish PKK faction claims significant decisions adopted at congress, withholds details on potential disbandment.
The bloody conflict between Turkey and the outlawed Kurdish militant group, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), might just be drawing to a close. After a call from the PKK's imprisoned leader, Abdullah Öcalan, the group held a long-awaited congress earlier this week in northern Iraq.
Although lips are sealed about the specifics of the decisions made, the PKK called it "historic." Firat News Agency, a network known to be closely affiliated with the PKK, reported that the congress took place in Suleymaniyah and Duhok in two separate sessions between May 5 and 7.
In early February, Öcalan pleaded with the PKK to gather and discuss dissolving the group and laying down arms, hoping to end the long-standing conflict with the Turkish government. Since the conflict erupted in the 1980s, it has claimed tens of thousands of lives, earning the PKK a terrorist designation from Turkey, the US, the EU, and other Western nations.
The PKK temporarily ceased fire after Öcalan's appeal, but only under the condition that peace talks were established under a legal framework. According to Firat News, Öcalan's messages were read during the meeting, revealing his perspectives and proposals.
At present, Turkey's pro-Kurdish DEM Party is hopeful that a formal declaration from the PKK is on the horizon. Aysegül Doğan, the party spokesperson, expressed, "We're all standing by, waiting for this historic step, this historic decision."
This is not the first time Turkey has pursued peace negotiations with the PKK. In 2015, a major initiative aimed at reconciliation crumbled. Now, far-right politician Devlet Bahçeli has proposed a controversial plan: Öcalan could be released on parole if the PKK renounces armed struggle and officially disbands.
So, are we looking at the twilight of the PKK's insurgency? Only time will tell. In the meantime, we'll keep our fingers crossed for peace.
Related:
- PKK militant group declares ceasefire after 40-year insurgency against Turkish state
- PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan calls on banned Kurdish group to lay down arms and dissolve
- Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)
- Turkiye (Turkey)
- Abdullah Öcalan
- The imminent dissolution of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) could mark the end of the four-decade-long insurgency against the Turkish state.
- Despite the temporary ceasefire by the PKK, their formal declaration for disbanding is eagerly awaited, with the pro-Kurdish DEM Party expressing hope for this historic step.
- Accessibility to general news about war-and-conflicts in Kurdistan, such as the PKK's historic congress and policies regarding the group, can be facilitated through networks like WhatsApp.
- The policy-and-legislation surrounding the PKK in Turkey, including potential peace negotiations and controversial proposals like the release of PKK's leader Abdullah Öcalan upon disbandment, are central to ongoing political discussions.
