PKK Urges Türkiye to Ease Imprisonment of 'Chief Negotiator' Ocalan
A spokesman for the Kurdish group, blacklisted as a "terrorist" organization by Ankara and its Western allies, told AFP in an interview on Monday that Türkiye has not yet provided guarantees for a peace process, and expressed objection to exiling PKK members.
In recent months, the PKK has made several historic decisions, starting with announcing a ceasefire and ultimately declaring on May 12 its dissolution, ending a decades-long insurgency against the Turkish state that cost more than 40,000 lives.
The group's moves followed an appeal by Ocalan, made in a letter from Istanbul's Imrali prison island where he has been held in solitary confinement since 1999.
Zagros Hiwa, spokesman for the PKK's political wing, told AFP in a written interview that "as an organization which has waged military struggle for 41 years, we have decided to dissolve and put an end to armed struggle."
"By this, we give peace a real chance."
"So from now on, we expect that the Turkish state makes amendments in the solitary confinement conditions" of Ocalan, and allow him "free and secure work conditions so that he could lead the process," Hiwa said.
"Leader Apo is our chief negotiator" for any talks with Türkiye, he added, referring to Ocalan.
The spokesman said that "only Leader Apo can lead the practical implementation of the decision" taken by the PKK congress earlier this month to disband, paving the way for a political settlement.
The dissolution mechanisms are unclear yet, but the Turkish government has said it would carefully monitor the process to ensure full implementation.
Hiwa said the implementation would be addressed in Ocalan's negotiations with Turkish officials.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Asharq Al-Awsat
4 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Damascus Temporarily Closes Humanitarian Corridor to Sweida Following Ceasefire Breach
Tensions escalated in southern Syria over the weekend as clashes resumed between armed factions in Sweida province, tribal fighters, and government forces in the western countryside, prompting Syrian authorities to temporarily shut the Bosra al-Sham humanitarian corridor. The move follows the collapse of a recently brokered ceasefire, highlighting deepening internal rifts among group leaders in the Druze-majority region. The latest outbreak of violence coincided with continued Israeli incursions and raids in Syrian border villages, accompanied by aerial activity in southern airspace. In an official statement released Sunday, Syrian authorities announced the temporary closure of the Bosra al-Sham corridor, citing security concerns and the need to stabilize the area. The announcement came just hours after a Syrian security source reported that 'outlaw groups' had violated the ceasefire agreement, launching attacks on internal security forces and shelling several villages in Sweida's countryside. According to the state-run Al-Ikhbariya TV, one member of the internal security forces was killed and several others injured in the renewed fighting. The source said the attacks came as the government was working to restore calm and resume public services in the province. 'The groups outside the law are determined to keep Sweida trapped in a cycle of instability, escalation, and lawlessness, undermining humanitarian relief efforts aimed at assisting civilians,' the source added. Later in the day, another security official told Al-Ikhbariya that government forces had regained control of key positions in Tal al-Hadid, Rimat Hazem, and Wulgha, all located in western Sweida. The area was secured, and hostilities halted in an effort to preserve the ceasefire framework. Speaking to Syria TV, Sweida's internal security chief, Ahmad al-Dalati, described the assault as 'a coordinated attack' involving tank shelling, mortars, and heavy machine guns. He confirmed casualties among the security forces and said return fire was ordered. Efforts were also made to re-engage mediators in order to de-escalate the situation. Dalati asserted that the behavior of these gangs clearly shows that the presence of the state is the only guarantee of security in the province, accusing the armed groups of exploiting their local influence to advance personal and foreign agendas at the expense of national stability. Last month, Syrian authorities reached a multi-stage ceasefire agreement with armed factions in Sweida, brokered with backing from the United States, Türkiye, and Jordan. The accord followed deadly clashes between Bedouin tribal fighters and local militias. According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, the violence in Sweida since July 13 has claimed at least 814 lives, including 34 women, 20 children, six medical workers, and two media personnel.
Al Arabiya
4 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Turkish parliamentary committee begins work on PKK peace initiative
A newly formed parliamentary committee tasked with overseeing a peace initiative with a Kurdish militant group held its inaugural meeting on Tuesday, marking a further significant step toward ending a decades-long insurgency. The 51-member committee, comprised of legislators from most major parties, has been charged with proposing and supervising legal and political reforms aimed at advancing the peace process, following the Kurdistan Workers' Party , or PKK's, decision to disband and lay down arms. Fighters from the group began laying down their weapons in a symbolic ceremony in northern Iraq last month, the first concrete step toward disarmament. In his opening remarks, Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus called the committee's launch a 'historic turning point.' 'The commission gathered here is no ordinary delegation; it is a historic one, demonstrating the courage to repair our future and the will to strengthen social integration,' he said. 'In this hall, we are witnessing the beginning of a new era, representing the will of the nation,' he said, before the proceedings were closed to journalists. The committee was on Tuesday expected to decide on how to proceed and to select an official name. The PKK announced in May that it would disband and renounce armed conflict, ending four decades of hostilities. The move came after PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, who has been imprisoned on an island near Istanbul since 1999, urged his group in February to convene a congress and formally disband and disarm. The PKK has waged an armed insurgency against Turkey since 1984, initially with the aim of establishing a Kurdish state in the southeast of the country. Over time, the objective evolved into a campaign for autonomy and rights for Kurds within Turkey. The conflict between militants and state forces, which has spread beyond Turkey's borders into Iraq and Syria, has killed tens of thousands of people. The PKK is considered to be a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.
Arab News
5 hours ago
- Arab News
Turkish parliamentary committee begins work on PKK peace initiative
ANKARA: A newly formed parliamentary committee tasked with overseeing a peace initiative with a Kurdish militant group held its inaugural meeting on Tuesday, marking a further significant step toward ending a decades-long insurgency. The 51-member committee, comprised of legislators from most major parties, has been charged with proposing and supervising legal and political reforms aimed at advancing the peace process, following the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK's, decision to disband and lay down arms. Fighters from the group began laying down their weapons in a symbolic ceremony in northern Iraq last month, the first concrete step toward disarmament. In his opening remarks, Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus called the committee's launch a 'historic turning point.' 'The commission gathered here is no ordinary delegation; it is a historic one, demonstrating the courage to repair our future and the will to strengthen social integration,' he said. 'In this hall, we are witnessing the beginning of a new era, representing the will of the nation,' he said, before the proceedings were closed to journalists. The committee was on Tuesday expected to decide on how to proceed and to select an official name. The PKK announced in May that it would disband and renounce armed conflict, ending four decades of hostilities. The move came after PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, who has been imprisoned on an island near Istanbul since 1999, urged his group in February to convene a congress and formally disband and disarm. The PKK has waged an armed insurgency against Turkiye since 1984, initially with the aim of establishing a Kurdish state in the southeast of the country. Over time, the objective evolved into a campaign for autonomy and rights for Kurds within Turkiye. The conflict between militants and state forces, which has spread beyond Turkiye's borders into Iraq and Syria, has killed tens of thousands of people. The PKK is considered to be a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the United States and the European Union. Previous peace efforts between Turkiye and the PKK have ended in failure — most recently in 2015.
