.

Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), has called for the dissolution of the party and the laying down of arms, potentially ending a four-decade-long conflict with the Turkish government. This appeal was conveyed in a message delivered by a delegation from the pro-Kurdish “DEM” party following their visit to Öcalan in his prison on İmralı Island.

Öcalan, aged 75, urged all armed factions of the PKK to convene a congress to disband the party and surrender their weapons. This move aims to achieve lasting peace in southeastern Turkey.

This call comes after months of negotiations and political pressure, with the Turkish government cautiously welcoming the move, viewing it as an opportunity to end the ongoing burden of conflict. However, concrete steps to initiate peace talks have yet to be determined. Meanwhile, the PKK leadership has not yet issued an official response, with expectations that some factions may demand certain conditions before agreeing to disband.

The conflict between the PKK and the Turkish government has resulted in over 40,000 deaths since it began in 1984. These developments occur within a complex regional dynamic, where the Kurdish issue plays a pivotal role in the balance of power in the Middle East.