PKK Announces Conditional Ceasefire Following Öcalan's Call Amidst Turkish Government's Signals of Cooperation

The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has announced a conditional ceasefire against Turkey following a call from its imprisoned founder, Abdullah Öcalan. The PKK's commitment is contingent on Öcalan being allowed to live and work freely and personally lead a congress for the group's dissolution. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan views the PKK's move as a significant opportunity to dismantle "the wall of terror" and has signaled potential cooperation, despite past conflicts. Erdogan and his coalition partner had approached Öcalan last autumn, hinting at his release if the PKK disbands. Öcalan has called on his followers to lay down arms after four decades of conflict with the Turkish state and announced the dissolution of the PKK, which has fought for Kurdish rights since 1984. The group's demands have evolved from seeking an independent Kurdish state to broader autonomy. Clashes between the PKK and the Turkish military have resulted in approximately 45,000 deaths.