In Istanbul, Kurdish militants engaged in a four-decade-long insurgency in Turkey announced a ceasefire on Saturday. This development comes two days following a call from their incarcerated leader for the organization to lay down arms.
The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) made the announcement through the Firat News Agency, a publication that maintains ties with the group.
Highlighting the influence of Abdullah Ocalan, who has been held in Turkish custody since 1999, the PKK declared: “This ceasefire is effective immediately, aiming to facilitate the realization of Leader Apo’s Peace and Democratic Society initiative. Our forces commit to abstaining from armed actions except in self-defense.”
The protracted conflict between Turkey and the PKK, which began in 1984, has resulted in tens of thousands of casualties.
