Türkiye: PKK announces its dissolution and the end of the armed struggle

In a statement quoted by the pro-Kurdish news agency ANF, the PKK considers that it has accomplished its "historic mission" and that thanks to weapons the Kurdish question has reached "a point where it can now be resolved through democratic policies."

He confirmed that the party's 12th Congress, which took place last week in the mountains of northern Iraq, "decided to dissolve the organizational structure of the PKK and to end the path of armed struggle," thus responding to the call of its historic leader and founder, launched on February 27.

The ruling AKP party immediately welcomed it as "an important step towards the goal of a Turkey free of terrorism."

"This decision must be put into practice and implemented in all its dimensions," insisted Ömer Çelik, party spokesman.

"The necessary measures will be taken to ensure that the process progresses in a healthy and smooth manner," added the Turkish presidency's communications director, Fahrettin Altun, without specifying the practical details.

The president of the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan, Nechirvan Barzani, welcomed the decision, which will strengthen stability in the region.

In the center of Diyarbakir, the main city in Turkey's Kurdish-majority southeast, the PKK's announcement was greeted with scenes of joy, including popular dance and music, according to local media footage.

"Responsibility towards History"

In its statement, the PKK stressed that its dissolution "provides a solid basis for lasting peace and a democratic solution" and appealed to the Turkish Parliament.

"At this stage, it is important that the Grand Assembly (...) plays its role responsibly in the face of history," he said.

"This is not the end, it is a new beginning," said Duran Kalkan, a member of the PKK's executive committee, during the armed party's extraordinary congress, according to the pro-Kurdish news agency Mezopotamya.

The PKK's self-dissolution is the culmination of a process initiated in the autumn by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's main ally, the nationalist Devlet Bahçeli, who reached out to Mr Öcalan and initiated mediation via the pro-Kurdish DEM party.

The PKK responded favorably to its historic leader's call on March 1, announcing an immediate ceasefire with Turkish forces. But it then pointed out the difficulties of convening its congress while Turkish aircraft continued to bomb its positions.

"Apo" (uncle in Kurdish), as his supporters call him, has been held in solitary confinement for 26 years. At 76, he is unlikely to leave the prison island of Imrali, off the coast of Istanbul, but his conditions are expected to be eased, according to a ruling AKP party official quoted by the pro-government daily Türkiye.

"The conditions of detention will be relaxed (...) Meetings with the DEM and the family will also be more frequent," according to this official who asserts that "Öcalan himself has declared that he does not want to leave Imrali."

"Historic opportunity"

After welcoming a "historic opportunity" for peace with "our Kurdish brothers" following Mr. Öcalan's call, President Erdogan vowed to continue armed operations against the PKK "if (his) promises were not kept."

Having remained in the background throughout the process, the head of state left his ally Devlet Bahçeli at the forefront.

But for Gönül Tol, director of the Turkey program at the Middle East Institute, contacted by AFP, "the main driver (of this process) has always been the consolidation of Erdogan's power."

According to her, the head of state will thus be able to present himself in the 2028 elections strengthened in the face of a divided opposition.

The researcher points out that the Kurdish population did not join the opposition demonstrations in March to denounce the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, nor did it join the rally of his party, the CHP, on Saturday in Van (east), a city with a large Kurdish population.

Mr. Imamoglu, who has been incarcerated since March 23, is the official candidate of the CHP, the main opposition party, for the 2028 presidential election.

For her, "the lack of Kurdish participation in this gathering shows that Erdogan's strategy, which consists of divide and rule, is working."

According to some estimates, the Kurdish population represents 20% of Turkey's 85 million inhabitants.