ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Jailed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan on Tuesday welcomed the group's decision to respond positively to his February call for dissolution and disarmament. “I respectfully welcome the decisions taken at the historic 12th congress and the messages regarding the upcoming period,” said Ocalan in a letter published by PKK-affiliated media. On February 27, Ocalan called on his followers to hold a congress to dissolve the group and lay down arms, adding that it is time to shift from their decades-long military struggle to a political path. PKK held its much-anticipated congress last week, but its results were announced on Monday. PKK said in a statement that it would end its armed struggle against the Turkish state. The historic decision has been widely welcomed. The United Nations said on Monday that the international community needs to make sure that the ongoing peace process between Turkey and the PKK does not go backward.
Turkey21-05-2026Suspension of main opposition leadership targets Turkey-PKK peace process: Mediating party
