Turkey: PKK Kurdish Fighters declare an immediate ceasefire – what does Erdogan say

Outlawing Turkey, a Kurdistan Labor Party (PKK) declared a immediate ceasefire on Saturday, a news agency that is being affiliated with it, obeying the prisoner of the prisoner Abdullah Ocalan for a major release of a major step.

Ocalan called on PKK on Thursday to deposit weapons and dismantle, a move for which President Tayyip Erdogan and the pro -Kurdish DEM of the opposition have expressed their support.

The ceasefire could have extensive consequences for the area if it manages to end a conflict that has killed more than 40,000 people since the PKK – now based in the mountains of northern Iraq – began its armed uprising in 1984.

Erdogan could also give an internal impulse and a historical opportunity to bring peace and growth to southeastern Turkey, where the conflict has killed thousands of people and has seriously harmed the economy.

Disarmament can only coordinate Ocalan

The PKK has said that it hopes that Ankara would give Ocalan, who is being kept in almost complete isolation since 1999, more freedoms to be able to lead a disarmament process, adding that the necessary political and democratic conditions must be created to succeed.

« We, as PKK, are fully agreeing with the content of the invitation and declare that, from our forehead, we will take into account the needs of the invitation and implement it, » the team said in a statement, according to the Firat news agency.

« Beyond that, issues such as the submission of weapons to be implemented can only be carried out under the leadership of the leader, » the group said, using the nickname Ocalan, adding that it will immediately stop all hostilities unless it is attacked.

The PKK, which is described as a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies, said it is ready to convene a conference, as Ocalan urged, but the necessary security conditions will have to be created to « run and direct it ».

Turkey will respect the truce unless disarmament is delayed

Speaking on Saturday at an event to break the fasting with the families of witnesses in Constantinople on the first day of the sacred month of the Muslim Ramadan, Erdogan said Turkey would continue its operations against the PKK if the process of disarming it.

« If the promises that are constantly delayed, if an attempt is made to switch to eyewashing tricks (eye washing, MTF use as false assurances) change of names and do whatever we want, we cannot blame what is happening, » he said.

« If needed, we will continue our businesses -in force -, we will not leave a stone up and will not leave heads on the shoulders until the last terrorist is eliminated, » he added, saying that Ankara would end the cross -border threats.

Earlier, Vice President Chevdet Yilmaz told X that the dissolution of the PKK « without any negotiation » would inaugurate a new era.

Previous efforts to end the uprising, made in 2009-11 and 2013-15, have failed and led to an increase in violence.

Abdullah Ocalan, along with his co -workers and the DEM party delegation at a previous meeting in Imrali on the day of the announcement.

What does PKK ask for Ocalan

The DEM party called on Friday the government to take steps towards democratization, telling Reuters that its reaction is critical.

In order to move on to the process, the PKK said that Ocalan must be given « natural freedom, to achieve living and labor conditions, to enter into relationships with anyone who wants, including his friends, without obstacles ».

Whether Ankara will address these issues is unclear. Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc told CNN Turk on Friday that no amnesty, home restriction or other options are being discussed and that there are no negotiations.

Analysts have said that Erdogan, who has repeatedly made efforts in the past to end the conflict, focuses on the domestic political dividends that peace could bring, as he seeks to extend the governance of two decades beyond 2028.

The ending of the uprising would eliminate a steady ignition point in the Kurdish, rich in North Iraq oil, while facilitating the efforts of the new Syrian administration to impose greater sovereignty on northern Syria -controlled areas controlled by the Kurdish forces.

Flag seeking the freedom of Ocalan and the other flag of women's protection units – YPJ.

Assad's fall has pushed developments in favor of Turkey

Ocalan's appeal, caused by a surprise proposal in October by a supranationalist ally of Erdogan, was welcomed by the United States, the European Union and other Western allies, as well as by Turkey's neighbors, Iraq and Iran.

Turkey has sought to benefit from regional geopolitical developments following the fall of Syros Bashar al -Assad after 11 years of civil war, during which Ankara supported the rebels who sought to overthrow it.

The new Islamist government in Damascus has established good relations with Turkey, which continues to support Syrian Arab fighters in a conflict against Kurdish forces in northern Syria.

Following Assad's fall, Turkey has repeatedly demanded that the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) be disarmed and the US militia that have allied with the US, warning of military action otherwise. However, the SDFs said that while Ocalan's appeal was positive, it was not true for them.

The most important elements of Manifesto Ocalan

The manifesto, inter alia, states that « the need for a democratic society is inevitable. The PKK, the longest -running and extensive guerrilla and armed movement in the history of democracy, found social basis and support and was mainly inspired by the fact that the Democratic Policy Channels were closed. « 

« The inevitable ending of extreme nationalist derogations-such as a separate nation-state, federation, administrative autonomy or cultural solutions-does not respond to the historical sociology of society, » Ocalan wrote.

Within the manifesto it is stated that « respect for identities, free self -expression, democratic self -organization of every part of society based on their own socio -economic and political structures, are only possible through the existence of a democratic society and a democratic political space. »

Will Ocalan be released?

It is not clear how the Kurds can be self -organized in Turkey, as the message of Abdullah Ocalan mentions. The PKK message calls for Ocalan's natural release to have a ceasefire.

« Specific realities clearly show that for the successful implementation of the call for peace and democratic society, for the democratization of Turkey and the Middle East on the basis of the democratic solution of the Kurdish issue. »

« In order to pave the way for the development of the world democratic movement, it is necessary for leader Abdullah Ocalan to be able to live and work with physical freedom and have unobstructed contact with anyone who wants, including his friends. We hope that the conditions for this will be fulfilled by the relevant state institutions, ”the statement said.