Abdullah Öcalan, jailed ringleader of the PKK terrorist group, confirmed that his group’s “armed struggle” ended and there was no turning back. “It is a process of transition to peace within a democratic republic,” Öcalan said in a message relayed through a delegation of pro-PKK Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) on Tuesday.
The delegation visited Öcalan the island prison where he is incarcerated on March 27 as part of the terror-free Türkiye initiative.
The terror-free Türkiye initiative was launched by government ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli in 2024. Öcalan has agreed to Bahçeli’s invitation to call on the PKK to lay down arms. After Öcalan’s landmark message in February 2025, the PKK consented to start the disarmament process. Since then, Turkish authorities have monitored the full disarmament process and are expected to implement laws to further facilitate the initiative, including by possible leniency in sentencing for PKK members not involved in acts of terrorism.
In his message, Öcalan said the process’ success would “double the strength of the republic.”
“The democratic society is based on such a solution. We have to develop an understanding of citizenship regulating Kurds’ relation with the state in a positive manner,” Öcalan said.
For decades, the PKK carried out a campaign of violence for what it called a self-styled Kurdish autonomy. Öcalan underlined that the initiative was an attempt to resolve a major problem and people should not have a narrow view.
“Pro-hegemony forces have designs for the Middle East. We have seen relatively positive developments in Syria but now war on Iran broke out. The war on Iran laid bare three sides: the U.S.-Israel side, a side led by the United Kingdom, some international and regional powers seeking to maintain status quo and the third side is ours, a side defending democracy and coexistence with the ‘Peace and Democratic Society Process,’” he said, using a name he gave to the terror-free Türkiye initiative.
”What is happening in Iran proved that the process in Türkiye is on the right path and demonstrated that it is important,” Öcalan said.
