12.05.2025 09:52
57
The PKK officially announced that it had laid down its arms and disbanded.
PKK officially announces disbandment and disbandmentOn May 12, 2025, after more than 40 years of armed struggle, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) announced its decision to disband and lay down its arms. The decision was made at a party congress in northern Iraq as part of a peace initiative with Turkey.
A statement released by Firat News Agency, a source close to the PKK, said, "The PKK organization has been liquidated and the armed struggle has ended."
The historic decision follows a call by PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan on February 27, 2025. Öcalan, who has been imprisoned on an island near Istanbul since 1999, had called for a congress to dissolve the party and lay down arms. The PKK then declared a unilateral ceasefire on March 1.
The congress emphasized that the PKK's historical mission has been completed and that the Kurdish issue can now be resolved through democratic political processes. It was also noted that it is no longer necessary to continue the armed struggle. The process of handing over weapons will be carried out under the control of Abdullah Ocalan.
The Turkish government and the international community are evaluating this decision as a positive step. It could be an important turning point towards peace and stability in the country.
It should be noted that the PKK has been waging an armed campaign in Turkey since 1984, claiming the lives of tens of thousands of people. This decision by the PKK, which is recognized as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union, could open a new chapter in regional peace and stability.