PKK Announces Formal Disbandment, Ending Armed Conflict With Turkey
"The decision, made under the leadership of Leader Apo (Abdullah Öcalan), brings an end to the armed resistance and to all activities carried out under the PKK's name," the statement read, underscoring a radical shift in the group’s strategic orientation.
The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) on Monday officially declared its dissolution and the end of its decades-long armed activities against Türkiye, marking a historic turn in one of the region’s most protracted and violent conflicts.
In a statement, the PKK announced the outcome of its 12th Congress, held from May 5 to 7 under the guidance of Abdullah Öcalan, the group’s imprisoned leader. The congress concluded with a decision to formally dismantle the PKK’s organizational structure and cease all armed operations carried out under its name.
“The decision, made under the leadership of Leader Apo (Abdullah Öcalan), brings an end to the armed resistance and to all activities carried out under the PKK’s name,” the statement read, underscoring a radical shift in the group’s strategic orientation.
The announcement, unprecedented in scope, coincides with a previously scheduled high-level cabinet meeting in Ankara. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is set to chair the session today, where the implications of the PKK’s move and the prospects for initiating a new peace process in the post-PKK era are expected to be discussed.
Founded in 1978 and taking up arms in 1984, the PKK has waged an insurgency within Türkiye, leading to tens of thousands of deaths and widespread displacement. Ankara, the U.S., and the EU classify the group as a terrorist organization. Over the decades, intermittent peace efforts—most notably the 2013-2015 ceasefire—collapsed under renewed hostilities.
Öcalan, jailed since 1999 on İmralı Island, remains a powerful symbolic figure among many Kurds. His reported influence over the congress suggests that he may still be seeking a political solution through institutional rather than militant means.
The group’s decision to dismantle itself comes amid growing domestic and international calls for a peaceful resolution to the Kurdish question in Türkiye, as well as shifting dynamics in the broader Middle East where Kurdish movements play increasingly varied roles.
What Comes Next?
The disbandment of the PKK may open space for Türkiye to reconsider its Kurdish policy, both domestically and regionally, especially if Ankara seizes this moment to restart negotiations under new terms. However, skepticism remains high, given the long history of broken truces and unfulfilled promises.
The Turkish government has not yet issued an official response to the PKK’s announcement, though sources close to Ankara indicate that the cabinet is preparing a roadmap for a potential new peace process—one that could transform both Turkish politics and Kurdish aspirations across the region.
