PKK Leader Öcalan Urges the Kurdish Militant Group to Disband
Delegation members of the Pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM) release a statement from Öcalan in Istanbul, Türkiye, February 27, 2025. An image of Öcalan surrounded by lawmakers looms in the background. (Photo: AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
Abdullah Öcalan, the leader and founder of the Kurdistan’s Worker Party (PKK), issued a statement from prison calling for the group to lay down their arms and completely dissolve itself. Öcalan’s comments were read at a news conference in Istanbul by Kurdish lawmakers, who met with the leader earlier. The call to dissolve addresses all branches of the primarily Türkiye-based militant group, including its offshoots in Syria and parts of Iraq and Iran.
Öcalan, now 75-years-old, has been imprisoned on the Turkish island Imrali since 1999. Öcalan reportedly released a one-and-a-half page letter saying that, “The PKK was born in the 20th century, the most violent century in history, shaped by two world wars, the realities of real socialism, the global Cold War atmosphere, and the denial of Kurdish identity … I make a call for disarmament and take on the historical responsibility of this call.”
After decades of insurgency and fighting, the call for peace comes as a shock, with netizens raising concerns about the legitimacy of the issued statement on social media.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Öcalan led raids into Türkiye from his base in Syria. In response, the Turkish government launched a counteroffensive and pressured Syria to expel him. After being forced to leave Syria, Öcalan was captured in Kenya and brought to Türkiye. Initially sentenced to death, Öcalan’s sentence was later changed to life imprisonment as Türkiye sought EU membership, which required the abolition of the death penalty. The PKK’s ideals are hotly debated and the group is often seen as exemplifying political extremism, especially by Türkiye’s government.
The goals of the PKK evolved over time. The group has engaged in armed conflict with the Turkish state and currently advocates for the cultural and political rights and self-determination of the Kurdish people in Türkiye. While the PKK adopted a communist ideology, its primary focus from the outset was the creation of an independent Kurdish state: spanning southeastern Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran. The violent conflict has claimed thousands of lives, with Kurdish communities and urban centers suffering heavily from forced recruitment, bombings, and the harsh response from the Turkish state.
Youth hold up an image of Öcalan as they gather to watch on TV the live stream of Öcalan’s statement released by the DEM in Diyarbakir, Türkiye, February 27, 2025. (Photo: AP Photo/Metin Yoksu)
Following the 1980 military coup, Türkiye banned the use of terms like “Kurds” and “Kurdistan.” The government also prohibited the use of the Kurdish language in public and private life, promoting the erasure of Kurdish language and culture. Given the government's efforts to suppress Kurdish identity, the actions of insurgent Kurdish groups in Türkiye are increasingly understood within this context. Kurdish nationalism and the issue of minority rights have long contributed to political tension in Türkiye.
Öcalan’s unexpected call for peace not only marks a significant shift in the group’s long-standing struggle, but also takes on the ambitious challenge of moving past decades of conflict and tension. The factors that perhaps pressured Öcalan to issue this statement remain ambiguous. While the historic proposal for reconciliation stirs up both hope and skepticism, it is clear that the event marks a turning point in the history of the Kurdish conflict.