Move follows leader’s February call to end armed resistance; PKK congress signals historic shift in Kurdish militant strategy.
The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) is poised to declare the dissolution of its armed wing and a formal end to its decades-long conflict with Turkey, sources told Middle East Eye.
The anticipated announcement follows a recent congress held by the group between 5-7 May, during which members reportedly addressed a call from imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan. The PKK said it made decisions of “historical importance” that will soon be disclosed publicly.
Ocalan, who founded the PKK over 40 years ago, issued a statement in February urging the organization to disband and abandon armed struggle. He characterized the conflict as a relic of a past era shaped by global conflicts and ideological divisions.
Highlighting reforms by the Turkish government and shifting regional dynamics, Ocalan said there is no longer a justification for continued armed resistance. He called on all affiliated groups under the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) to lay down arms.
In March, the PKK announced it would adhere to Ocalan’s directive and declared a ceasefire. Reports also emerged of a separate agreement between Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander Mazlum Abdi Şahin and the Syrian government, effectively ending Kurdish self-rule ambitions in Syria.
While the PKK has yet to confirm how it will implement disarmament, speculation in Ankara suggests Iraqi authorities may oversee the collection of weapons. Foreign fighters are expected to return to their countries of origin, and some senior figures may be relocated to third countries or to regions of Iraq governed by sympathetic Kurdish parties.
