Ocalan Calls for PKK Disbandment in Historic Peace Bid

Imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan has urged his group, the PKK, to disband, aiming to end a four-decade conflict with Turkey. This call is part of a peace effort initiated by President Erdogan's coalition partner. Ocalan's influence may lead the PKK to heed his request, despite possible internal resistance.

In a historic shift, imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan has called for the disbandment of his militant group, the PKK, in a bid to end a protracted conflict with the Turkish state.

Ocalan issued his plea from his island prison Thursday, urging the Kurdistan Workers' Party to convene a congress to decide to lay down arms and dissolve. This move, he stated, is part of ongoing peace efforts initiated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's coalition partner.

With a history rooted in decades of insurgency, the PKK is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies. Analysts believe Ocalan's influence could persuade the group's leadership to comply, though factions within the PKK may resist. Ocalan's announcement comes as part of Turkey's broader constitutional and political negotiations with pro-Kurdish parties.