PKK Announces Second Phase of Peace Call with Withdrawal of Fighters from Turkey
The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) announced on Sunday the withdrawal of its fighters from Turkish territory, describing the move as a “historic step and the beginning of the second phase of the Peace and Democratic Society Call,” launched by the party’s imprisoned leader, Abdullah Öcalan, who remains detained in Imrali Prison in Turkey.
In a statement, the PKK said that the decision to withdraw its forces from Turkish lands came in implementation of the resolutions adopted during the party’s 12th Congress.
On February 27, 2025, PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan had called on his party to dissolve itself.
The statement read: “Over the past eight months, we have taken major and historic steps. In order to create a calm and suitable environment for dialogue, we declared a ceasefire on March 1, immediately after Leader Öcalan’s call.”
It added: “We made several decisions, including dissolving the party’s organizational structure and ending the strategy of armed struggle.”
The PKK statement emphasized that the implementation of the peace process in Turkey “cannot be realized effectively unless it is led directly by Leader Abdullah Öcalan.”
It continued: “In accordance with the resolutions of the 12th Congress, the movement is reorganizing its forces within Turkish borders in areas that may witness risks of escalation or possible provocations, taking precautionary measures along the contact lines to prevent any clashes.”
The statement also noted that part of the PKK’s forces had reached the “legitimate defense zones in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq to join the Peace and Democratic Society Call,” while taking the necessary measures in highly sensitive border areas.
The PKK further stressed that “politically and legally, the commitments required by this phase must be demonstrated without delay, and the PKK Transformation Law should be considered the foundation for its participation in democratic political life, ensuring its integration into the path of freedom and democracy without obstacles.”
