ANKARA, Turkey — The leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), currently serving a life sentence, has recently urged his organization to disarm and cease its activities in a renewed attempt to bring an end to four decades of strife with the Turkish state. Abdullah Ocalan’s initiative emerges amid a backdrop of regional turmoil and far-reaching changes, including shifts in power dynamics in Syria post-President Bashar Assad, a decline in the Hezbollah movement in Lebanon, and the fragile peace following the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.
The peace discussions in Turkey were launched last October, spearheaded by Devlet Bahceli, an ultranationalist known for his staunch stance against concessions on Kurdish issues. Following Assad’s rapid downfall owing to a rebel surge, clashes escalated in northern Syria between Turkish-backed forces and Kurdish factions likened to the PKK.
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, who have been governing northeast Syria, are now in talks with Syria’s newly established government. While other insurgent groups have agreed to disband and join the Syrian army, the SDF remains unyielding.
Formed in 1978 by Abdullah Ocalan as a Marxist organization, the PKK initiated an insurgency against Turkey in 1984, initially seeking to establish a Kurdish state, then later advocating for Kurdish autonomy and rights inside Turkey. The conflict, which has extended into Iraq and Syria, has led to the loss of tens of thousands of lives. Turkey, alongside the United States and European Union, deems the PKK a terrorist organization.
Abdullah Ocalan, who crafted the PKK amidst Turkey’s leftist movements, fled to Syria in 1979. Syrian authorities expelled him in 1998 under Turkish pressure, leading to his capture in Kenya in 1999. Ocalan has since been incarcerated on the small island of Imrali. Despite his imprisonment, Ocalan symbolizes Kurdish rights and independence, with his influence spanning across Turkey, Iraq, and Syria.
In a radical shift, Bahceli, a stringent ally to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, suggested that Ocalan could potentially receive parole if he agrees to dismantle the PKK. This marks a significant policy change for Bahceli, who has historically backed military actions against the PKK and its Syrian counterparts while dismissing diplomacy.
Ocalan’s message, conveyed through the pro-Kurdish People’s Equality and Democracy Party (DEMA), called on the PKK leadership to disband. However, it remains unclear whether the Kurds would receive anything in exchange. Reactions vary, with some touting it as a historic chance and others opposing any leniency towards Ocalan or the PKK.
Experts argue that the PKK might adhere to Ocalan’s plea, though the emergence of splinter groups remains a possibility. Following Bahceli’s discourse, the PKK claimed responsibility for a deadly assault on a Turkish aerospace firm.
Over past decades, Turkey has engaged in sporadic peace efforts with the PKK, such as clandestine talks in Norway from 2009 to 2011, but none have succeeded. The most recent bid between 2013 and 2015 involved Turkish representatives and Ocalan, who called for a ceasefire and ordered PKK withdrawal to Iraqi bases. The initiative collapsed following terrorist incidents in July 2015.
Since then, Turkey has intensified its crackdown on pro-Kurdish movements, imprisoning thousands, including Selahattin Demirtas, the previous leader of the main pro-Kurdish party, for alleged PKK ties.
This new peace overture arises as both Turkey and the Kurds seek stability amidst Middle Eastern challenges. Nevertheless, some speculate this reconciliation effort may be a strategic move by Erdogan’s regime to secure Kurdish backing for a constitutional amendment that would extend his power beyond 2028. Bahceli has urged for constitutional reform, asserting its importance for Erdogan’s prolonged leadership. Collaborations between Erdogan, Bahceli, and DEMA’s parliamentary backing are reportedly under discussion.
