The outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant who have conducted a 40-year rebellion in Turkey proclaimed a cease-fire on Saturday, which could signify a big boost to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government. This came two days after their imprisoned commander urged for the group to disarm.
The announcement by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, comes amid fundamental changes in the region, such as the reconfiguration of power in neighbouring Syria following President Bashar Assad’s demise, the weakening of the Hezbollah militant movement in Lebanon, and the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
Since 1984, the conflict between Turkey and the PKK has killed tens of thousands of people. The truce marks the first sign of progress since peace talks between the PKK and Ankara collapsed in the summer of 2015.
On Saturday, the Firat News Agency, a PKK-affiliated media source, released the declaration. It referred to Abdullah Ocalan, the militants’ commander, who has been imprisoned in Turkey since 1999.
“We declare a truce effective today to facilitate the realisation of Leader Apo’s appeal for peace and democratic society. “None of our forces will engage in armed action unless attacked,” it stated, referring to Ocalan by his moniker.
