The announcement has generated both hope and scepticism. [Getty]
Abdullah Ocalan’s call for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to disband and disarm triggered strong reactions both globally and particularly within Iraq and the Kurdistan region. While Kurdish leaders have welcomed it as a move toward peace, many local residents and analysts are sceptical about the PKK’s willingness to comply.
Delivered in Istanbul on Thursday, the appeal is seen as a potentially transformative move that could reshape the decades-long conflict between Kurdish militants and the Turkish state.
Ocalan’s message, written from his prison cell on Imrali Island, where he has been in solitary confinement since 1999, urged all armed groups to renounce violence. “All groups must lay down their arms and the PKK must dissolve itself,” he stated. The 75-year-old Kurdish leader’s appeal follows Ankara’s recent diplomatic overtures aimed at ending a conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives.
This declaration marks a significant shift from the founder of the PKK, which has been engaged in an armed insurgency against Turkey since the late 1970s. “I am making a call for the laying down of arms, and I take on the historical responsibility of this call,” Ocalan said.
The announcement has generated both hope and scepticism. While Kurdish political leaders cautiously welcome the initiative, many observers question whether Ocalan’s followers, particularly those stationed in the mountainous regions of northern Iraq, will comply.
This appeal raises critical questions about the future of the PKK and the broader Kurdish political landscape, with potential implications for regional stability.
Iraqi Kurdish leaders back peace initiative
Nechirvan Barzani, president of the Iraqi Kurdistan region, expressed support for Ocalan’s call, stating in a post on the X platform, “We warmly welcome the message of Mr. Ocalan and his call for the PKK to lay down arms and pursue peaceful solutions. We urge the PKK to commit to and comply with this message and to implement it accordingly. We hope that this call becomes a solid foundation for achieving peace and a peaceful resolution.”
Barzani also reiterated his commitment to the peace process, highlighting the role of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the AK Party’s administration in fostering dialogue. “We are ready to play a supportive and cooperative role,” he added.
For his part, Bafel Jalal Talabani, president of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), also welcomed Ocalan’s statement, calling it “a responsible and necessary call at this stage to unite the Kurds and resolve issues through peaceful dialogue based on partnership and solidarity.”
Despite positive responses from Kurdish leaders, political analysts and local voices expressed doubts about the feasibility of Ocalan’s call. According to Roj News, Sırrı Süreyya Önder stated that Ocalan told his delegation, “For the practical implementation of disarmament and for the PKK to lay down its arms, democratic and legal policies must be adopted.”
The Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), which includes left-wing groups in Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran, has not yet responded to Ocalan’s call. The New Arab contacted the KCK but received no response.
In Sulaimaniyah province, Iraqi Kurdistan, many Kurdish citizens voiced scepticism about the PKK’s willingness to disarm when speaking to TNA. Dara Muhyidin, a local bookseller, argued, “I am not with Ocalan’s call… because it is a Turkish plan for eradicating the PKK. There are no guarantees by Turkey, and Ocalan might have made that call under pressure.”
Another resident from Iranian Kurdistan stated, “I am not with the self-dissolvent of the PKK, since the Kurds have dignity with the presence of the PKK.”
Another Kurdish man, speaking anonymously, suggested that Turkey’s ultimate aim “is to splinter the ranks of the PKK and divide them into a group calling for apparent peace under threat and another refusing Ocalan’s call.”
A political power play?
Political analyst Ghani Ghadban told TNA, “Abdullah Ocalan’s call for his supporters to dissolve the party and disarm is indeed a call for peace. But will his supporters respond? The PKK today is intertwined with other forces and organisations, receiving financial and logistical support from armed factions inside and outside of Iraq.”
“If the PKK were to comply with Abdullah Ocalan’s instructions—who, for many within the group, is seen as no longer relevant or representative due to his prolonged imprisonment—it raises questions about the motivations behind his call. Some speculate that the statement was influenced by pressure from Turkish authorities, possibly as part of conditions linked to his potential release,” Ghadban explained.
If this call is implemented, leading to disarmament and the dissolution of the PKK, a crucial question arises: Would Turkey then withdraw from Iraq, particularly from the territories in the Kurdistan Region, given that the justification for their presence would effectively disappear? Ghadban argued, “I tell you, no, because the Turks themselves do not want to dissolve the PKK or disarm them as they aim for expansion under this pretext in Iraqi and Syrian territories, reviving the Ottoman Empire by claiming Mosul Wilayat.”
Addressing the potential consequences for Iraq if the PKK refuses Ocalan’s call, Ghadban said, “This gives the Turks justification for expansion, deployment, and intensifying military efforts without seeking approval from the Iraqis. If this continues, we are heading toward a Turkish occupation in the true sense of the word.”
The PKK, classified as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US, and the EU, has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984. The PKK is also banned in Iraq.
Speaking exclusively to TNA in December, Zagros Hiwa, spokesperson for the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), stated, “Leader APO has been held in isolation for 26 years. Any meaningful peace process must begin with ending his isolation. He is our chief negotiator and can lead the region from conflict to peace.”
The big question now is how Ocalan’s message will be received by fighters, whose military leadership is largely based in the mountains of northern Iraq. The coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether Ocalan’s call will mark a turning point in the Kurdish-Turkish conflict, or if political and military complexities will hinder the path to peace.
