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PKK Disbands, Ending 40-Year Insurgency Against Turkey

The Kurdish militant group dissolves its organizational structure following Abdullah Ocalan's call, marking a potential turning point in regional stability.

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PKK supporters wave flags of founder Abdullah Ocalan
Hatice Levent holds a picture of her daughter Fadime who is believed to have joined the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) as families of young people who they say were recruited by the PKK gather outside the local office of the pro-Kurdish DEM Party, as PKK disbands and ends 40-year Turkey insurgency, in the southeastern city of Diyarbakir, Turkey, May 12, 2025. REUTERS/Sertac Kayar
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Overview

  • The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) officially announced its dissolution and the end of its armed struggle on May 12, following a congress held in northern Iraq.
  • Imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan's February call for disarmament and disbandment was pivotal, with the group declaring it had completed its 'historical mission.'
  • The Turkish government, led by President Erdogan, welcomed the move as a step toward a 'terror-free Turkey' and pledged to closely monitor its implementation.
  • The decision could reshape regional dynamics, particularly in Syria and Iraq, where Kurdish militias linked to the PKK operate, though questions remain about their future alignment.
  • Uncertainty persists over the logistics of disarmament, potential political concessions, and whether the decision applies to affiliated groups like the YPG in Syria.