The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a group that has waged an armed insurgency against the Turkish state for over four decades, has officially declared its dissolution and announced an end to its armed campaign, marking a potentially historic turning point in the long-running conflict.

According to a statement published by a media outlet close to the PKK, the organization said it has "completed its historical role" and that "relations between Kurds and Türkiye must be reshaped." The group, designated as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States, and the European Union, has been involved in a violent conflict with the Turkish government since the 1980s, a war that has claimed tens of thousands of lives.

The decision to disband reportedly follows months of internal deliberation and is aligned with a public appeal issued earlier this year by the PKK’s imprisoned founding leader, Abdullah Öcalan. In a written message from his cell in İmralı Island Prison in February, Öcalan urged the group to lay down arms and pursue peaceful means, declaring that the PKK’s armed campaign had “outlived its purpose.”

“The organization has completed its historical mission,” the PKK’s statement read. “We now call for a new chapter of political and social engagement to redefine relations between the Kurdish people and the Turkish state.”

The move is expected to have far-reaching implications not only for Türkiye but also for neighboring countries with significant Kurdish populations, including Iraq, Syria, and Iran, where regional dynamics have often been influenced by the PKK’s activities and affiliates.

Turkish authorities have not yet issued an official response to the PKK's declaration. In the past, Ankara has demanded unconditional disarmament and dissolution of the group as prerequisites for any peace process.

The announcement has raised cautious optimism among observers and conflict resolution experts, who view it as a possible gateway to long-term peace and reconciliation efforts in the region. However, questions remain about implementation on the ground, particularly in remote areas of northern Iraq where PKK elements have maintained bases.

If fully implemented, the dissolution of the PKK could represent the end of one of the most intractable conflicts in the region and open the door for new political frameworks addressing the longstanding demands of Türkiye’s Kurdish population. (ILKHA)