The Kurdistan Workers’ Party, the largest militant organization of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party in Turkey, has announced the end of the organization and the armed struggle.
According to media reports, this was announced at the twelfth congress of the organization. The PKK has announced to disarm and dissolve itself on the instructions of Abdullah Askelan.
The Kurdistan Workers’ Party says we are laying down our arms, there will be no armed struggle after today.
On the other hand, Turkey’s ruling party, Erdogan’s AK Party, has welcomed the PP’s announcement, with AK Party spokesman Omer Celik calling it an important step towards a Turkey free from terrorism.
Kurdish leader Abdullah Askelan had instructed his comrades to end their armed struggle against the government on February 27.
The PKK, designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, has been waging an insurgency since 1984, aiming to create a homeland for the Kurds, who make up about 20 percent of Turkey’s 85 million people.
