Overview

• Abdullah Öcalan, founder of the PKK, has urged the group to cease its armed struggle and dissolve, emphasizing political means to achieve Kurdish rights in Turkey.
• This unprecedented call is seen as a potential turning point for Kurdish-Turkish relations, contingent on the Turkish government's response and willingness to engage constructively.
• Reactions from Kurds vary widely, with some expressing hope for peace and others voicing disappointment over the lack of concessions from Turkey in exchange for disarmament.
• In Germany, Kurdish community leaders have welcomed the move as an opportunity for progress but stress the need to end the criminalization of Kurdish political activism in Europe.
• The PKK has yet to officially respond to Öcalan's appeal, leaving uncertainty about whether the group will comply and what this could mean for Kurdish movements in Syria and beyond.