Overview

• The PKK announced its dissolution on May 12, 2025, ending a 40-year insurgency that caused approximately 45,000 deaths.
• This decision follows the 12th Extraordinary Congress held from May 5 to 7, where members debated Abdullah Öcalan’s February 27 call for disarmament.
• The disarmament process will be overseen by Öcalan, who has been imprisoned for 25 years and remains a central figure in the Kurdish movement.
• President Erdogan had signaled on May 8 that the PKK’s disarmament announcement was imminent, aligning with ongoing peace efforts.
• The PKK, designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the EU, described its mission as complete, emphasizing a shift toward resolving the Kurdish question through democratic politics.