Latest news with #Kurdish-Turkish
See - Sada Elbalad
4 days ago
- Politics
- See - Sada Elbalad
PKK Fighters Burn Weapons in Historic Event
Taarek Refaat In a historic ceremony near the city of Slemani in northern Iraq, members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) symbolically laid down their arms on Friday, marking the end of over four decades of armed struggle against Turkey. This move, which comes after two months of negotiations and the party's announcement to end its insurgency, is seen by many as a step toward a political resolution between the Kurds and Turkey. Kurdish citizens in Turkey are hopeful that this shift will pave the way for a peace settlement with Ankara. Around 30 PKK fighters, including women, participated in the ceremony, which took place near the cave of Jassneh, located about 50 kilometers west of Slemani. The fighters, many of whom held leadership roles, burned their weapons as part of the symbolic act. The event is being hailed as a 'historic democratic operation' by the PKK, marking a critical transition from armed resistance to political engagement. Speaking at the ceremony, PKK leaders, including Basi Hozat and Behjat Şarçıl, addressed a crowd of around 300 attendees, including officials, media representatives, and those from various Kurdish political factions. They referred to the destruction of the weapons as a 'historic democratic operation,' emphasizing their hope for a future of peace, equality, and democracy. As the fighters laid down their arms, many were visibly emotional, with some crying and others chanting "Long live Apo!" – a reference to Abdullah Öcalan, the PKK's founder and leader who has been imprisoned in Turkey since 1999. The event represents a significant shift for the PKK, which has waged an armed insurgency against Turkey since 1984, leading to the deaths of over 40,000 people. Öcalan's call for the cessation of armed resistance earlier this year has become a pivotal moment in Kurdish-Turkish relations. Turkish officials have welcomed this development, with one senior government figure describing the PKK's move as "a milestone and a welcome step." The Turkish government views this as an irreversible turning point in the conflict. The laying down of arms comes at a time when Turkey has intensified its efforts to address the Kurdish issue. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has previously expressed optimism that the PKK's decision could mark the beginning of an era of peace, free from terrorism. He described the move as an important step toward a "terrorism-free" Turkey. This step is also tied to ongoing indirect negotiations between Abdullah Öcalan and Ankara, facilitated by Turkish President Erdoğan. These talks, which began in October 2022, aim to create a legal and democratic political framework for the Kurdish community in Turkey, following decades of armed conflict. Erdoğan has suggested that peace efforts with the Kurds will accelerate as the PKK moves forward with its decision to lay down arms, expecting "positive news in the coming days." Moreover, an Iraqi security source indicated that the disarmament process is expected to conclude by 2026, after which a new Kurdish political party will be formed in Turkey. This would mark a new phase in Turkey's efforts to integrate its Kurdish minority into the broader political landscape, offering hope for a long-term peace agreement. The PKK's decision to end its armed struggle comes at a time of increasing regional cooperation between the Kurdish political movements in Turkey and Iraq, with Kurdish leaders like Masoud Barzani showing support for the peace process. It is expected that these developments will provide a much-needed opening for the Kurdish minority, who make up around 20% of Turkey's population, to engage in peaceful dialogue with the Turkish government. While the outcome of this process remains uncertain, the move to lay down arms is a crucial step toward achieving a lasting peace and a political solution to the Kurdish issue in Turkey. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War News "Tensions Escalate: Iran Probes Allegations of Indian Tech Collaboration with Israeli Intelligence" News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream Arts & Culture Hawass Foundation Launches 1st Course to Teach Ancient Egyptian Language
Shafaq News
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
New push for peace: Ocalan calls for dialogue with Kurdish figures
Shafaq News/ Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), has proposed launching talks with prominent Kurdish political and military figures, the pro-Kurdish DEM Party announced on Wednesday. Aysegul Dogan, spokesperson for the DEM Party—widely regarded as the successor to the sidelined Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP)—confirmed that preparations are underway for a visit to İmralı prison to meet Ocalan and discuss the framework for renewed political engagement. 'This step is essential for advancing the peace process,' she told reporters in Ankara. The proposed dialogue includes Masoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP); Nechirvan Barzani, President of the Kurdistan Region; Bafel Talabani, head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK); and Mazloum Abdi, Commander-in-Chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Nechirvan Barzani characterized Ocalan's recent outreach as 'a constructive step' that could revive stalled peace efforts, while Masoud Barzani has consistently supported peaceful resolution mechanisms, describing dialogue as 'the only viable path' to address Kurdish-Turkish disputes. PKK Strategy Shift The announcement follows the PKK's unilateral ceasefire declared on March 1, shortly after Ocalan issued a message urging the group to disarm and dissolve. In his statement, read publicly by DEM Party deputies on February 27, Ocalan described the pivot to political engagement as a 'historic responsibility' and called for the armed struggle to give way to democratic strategy. Despite his detention since 1999, Ocalan continues to serve as the PKK's ideological reference point and remains influential in shaping the group's direction, and his latest message is widely seen as the most serious overture toward reconciliation since the collapse of the 2013–2015 peace process. The PKK, designated as a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the United States, and the European Union, has fought an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984, a conflict that has left over 40,000 dead. Meanwhile, the DEM Party continues to advocate for Kurdish political inclusion under increasing legal pressure, as Turkish authorities pursue multiple cases to dissolve the party and prosecute its affiliates, alleging links to the PKK—claims the party denies.
Saba Yemen
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
Ocalan Calls for New Pact Based on "Brotherhood" Between Kurds,Turks
Istanbul - (Saba): In a new message from prison, the leader of the disbanded Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Abdullah Öcalan, called for a new pact "based on brotherhood" to reform Kurdish-Turkish relations. Kurdish media reported that Öcalan said in his message: "There is a need for a new pact based on brotherhood. What we are doing is a major change in the paradigm." He continued: "The essence of the Kurdish-Turkish relationship is something completely different. What is being destroyed is the relationship between brothers. Brothers and sisters are fighting, and one cannot exist without the other. We will remove the traps and debris that are destroying this relationship, one by one, and repair all the damaged roads and collapsed bridges." Öcalan's message was revealed by a delegation from the Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) in Türkiye after a visit to Imrali Prison to meet with Öcalan. This visit by the HDP delegation, which included parliamentarian Pervin Buldan and lawyer Faik Özgür Oral, marked the fifth visit by the party's delegates to Öcalan and the first since the PKK announced its disbandment and disarmament. The first visit by the HDP delegation to Öcalan took place on December 28, 2024, followed by a second visit on January 22, which lasted approximately four hours. Following the third visit, which included a seven-person delegation, the party delegation held a press conference in Istanbul on February 27, during which they revealed Öcalan's letter calling on the PKK to disband and disarm, emphasizing his historical responsibility for this call. On April 21, the party delegation made its fourth visit to Öcalan. In recent days, the PKK announced it would hold a conference during which it decided to disband the party and lay down its weapons. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print more of (International)
Mint
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Kurdish separatist group PKK ends armed struggle after 40-year conflict with Turkey – Here's why
The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), the militant group involved in a four-decade-long insurgency against Turkey, has announced it will disband and end its armed operations. The decision, declared in a statement issued after a recent leadership congress in northern Iraq, marks a historic shift in the Kurdish-Turkish conflict. "The PKK has fulfilled its historical mission," the group said. It added that the Kurdish issue had reached a point where it could be resolved through "democratic politics." A senior PKK official confirmed that all military operations would cease immediately. However, the handover of weapons would depend on the Turkish government's response to the group's demands regarding Kurdish rights and the future of PKK fighters. Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AKP party welcomed the move, calling it 'an important step towards a terror-free Turkey.' The government also stressed that the disarmament process would be 'meticulously monitored.' Turkey's Communications Director Fahrettin Altun said Ankara would take the "necessary measures to ensure smooth progress" toward peace and internal stability. The decision follows a February call to disband from Abdullah Ocalan, the PKK's jailed leader, who has been imprisoned since 1999 on an island near Istanbul. The group confirmed that Ocalan would manage the disbanding process. The decision offers a renewed chance for economic and political development in Turkey's Kurdish-majority southeast. The long-running insurgency has hampered the region's growth and strained national resources. It remains unclear how the PKK's disbanding will affect the Kurdish YPG militia in Syria, which Turkey views as a PKK affiliate. The YPG has previously dismissed Ocalan's calls as irrelevant to its operations. It has not commented on the latest announcement. Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani congratulated Turkey, calling the PKK's disbanding a 'pivotal moment not only for Turkey's internal security but for the stability of our region as a whole.' The pro-Kurdish DEM Party, Turkey's third-largest political force, played a key role in facilitating Ocalan's peace proposal. Deputy party leader Tayip Temel hailed the development as significant. 'This decision is not just important for the Kurdish people, but for the entire Middle East,' Temel said. 'It will also necessitate a major shift in the official state mentality of Turkey. The PKK decision comes amid political unrest in Turkey. Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a major opposition figure, was jailed in March pending corruption charges — a move that sparked the country's largest protests in a decade. The PKK began its insurgency in 1984 seeking an independent Kurdish state. Over the years, the group shifted its goals to demand greater Kurdish rights and regional autonomy. The conflict has claimed more than 40,000 lives and strained Turkey's economy and social fabric.
Egypt Independent
03-03-2025
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
Kurdish militia declares ceasefire following leader's call to end five-decade insurgency with Turkey
CNN — The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militia on Saturday declared an immediate ceasefire, two days after its jailed leader The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militia on Saturday declared an immediate ceasefire, two days after its jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan called on fighters to lay down their arms and dissolve the group If accepted by Turkey, the declaration could bring about the end of a decades-long conflict estimated to have killed at least 40,000 people and rippled across the borders of multiple neighboring countries. 'We agree with the content of Leader Ocalan's call as it is, and we state that we will comply with and implement the requirements of the call from our own side. We declare a ceasefire effective as of today,' the PKK Executive Committee said in a statement published by the Firat News Agency, a media outlet close to the group. The Executive Committee commended Ocalan's call, describing it as a manifesto that 'illuminates the path of all forces of freedom and democracy.' The statement added that, for the political process to be successful, 'democratic politics and legal grounds must also be appropriate.' The conflict between the PKK and Turkey has had devastating effects on Turkey and neighbors. Ocalan's peace call on Thursday marked a major turning point and could have far-reaching implications for the Middle East. 'I am making a call for the laying down of arms, and I take on the historical responsibility of this call,' he wrote in a statement Thursday that was read by Turkish lawmakers. 'All groups must lay their arms and the PKK must dissolve itself.' A demonstrator holds a picture of jailed Kurdish militant leader Abdullah Ocalan during a rally in Diyarbakir, Turkey, on February 27, 2025. Sertac Kayar/Reuters/File For almost five decades, Turkey has been at war with the PKK, founded by Ocalan in 1978. Much of the fighting has focused on the group's desire to establish an independent Kurdish state in the country's southeast. But in recent years the group has called for more autonomy within Turkey instead. Earlier this week, Ocalan noted how the mutual cooperation between Turks and Kurds was broken in the last 200 years, but said: 'Today, the main task is to restructure the historical relationship, which has become extremely fragile.' In recent months, prospects of Kurdish-Turkish peace were recharged by an unusual overture from far-right Turkish lawmaker Devlet Bahceli, an ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who invited Ocalan to come to parliament and 'declare that he has laid down his arms.' Ocalan was captured in 1999 in Kenya by Turkish authorities, reportedly with the help of the CIA, and was sentenced in Turkey to life in prison for treason, with limited contact with the outside world. But over the past few months, at least three delegations have visited him in prison Kurds are the biggest minority in Turkey, making up between 15% and 20% of the population, according to Minority Rights Group International. They also have a significant presence in northern Syria, northern Iraq and Iran. Violence flared in the country in August 1984 when fighters from the PKK killed two Turkish soldiers. Over the years, the PKK has transformed into a militant arm of a regional ethnic struggle to carry on the Kurdish culture, as the death toll mounted. About a decade ago, Ocalan made a similar call to his followers to lay down their arms. But the 2013 peace process soon collapsed as tensions reignited, dragging Turkey and the PKK back into a bloody war and ending a two-year ceasefire. The Kurdish people have had a complicated relationship with Erdogan, who courted them during his early years in power by granting them more rights and reversing restrictions on the use of their language, and worked on the brief peace process with the PKK. Erdogan has been eyeing a constitutional change that will allow him to run for a third term in the country's 2028 elections. The move requires a two-thirds majority vote in parliament. The ceasefire came, some experts note, as the president seeks the support of the third-biggest party in the parliament, the pro-Kurdish DEM party, whose lawmakers liaised between Ocalan and government and read out the Kurdish leader's statement from prison on Thursday. This story has been updated with additional details.
