PKK Declares Ceasefire After Jailed Leader's Call for Peace

The Kurdish militant group’s decision could mark a significant step toward ending a 40-year conflict that has claimed over 40,000 lives.

The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) announced a ceasefire on Saturday, following an appeal from its imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan to disarm and pursue peace.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the ceasefire a 'historic opportunity,' while warning that military operations would resume if the PKK fails to keep its promises.
The PKK emphasized the need for democratic and legal reforms in Turkey to ensure the success of the peace process, including greater freedoms for Ocalan, who has been in near-total isolation since 1999.
The conflict, which began in 1984, has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and significant economic damage, particularly in Turkey's Kurdish-majority southeast.
The ceasefire could bolster Erdogan’s political position domestically, as his government seeks Kurdish support for constitutional reforms allowing him to run for a third term in 2028.