The outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) is reportedly preparing to hold a long-anticipated congress to formally declare the end of its armed struggle—without the direct leadership of its imprisoned founder, Abdullah Öcalan. The move follows Öcalan’s landmark call earlier this year urging the group to lay down its weapons after nearly four decades of conflict with the Turkish state.
According to Turkish media, PKK leaders have agreed to convene the congress in the coming weeks to finalize the disarmament process. Öcalan, currently serving a life sentence on İmralı Island, will not preside over the event, but a written message from him is expected to be read at the congress.
In his February 27 message, Öcalan called on the PKK to abandon armed struggle and disband as a militant group. The statement—delivered publicly in Istanbul—was seen as the most significant peace overture since the collapse of talks in 2015. Two days later, the PKK declared a unilateral ceasefire, stating its readiness to act on Öcalan’s appeal, but also demanding a “secure and suitable environment” for the congress and insisting that Öcalan be allowed to “lead and guide” the process.
However, in an April 28 statement published by the pro-Kurdish Fırat News Agency (ANF), the PKK voiced frustration at the lack of progress, saying the Turkish government had not taken the necessary steps to enable Öcalan’s active participation. The group reiterated that Öcalan must be allowed to “live and work freely” for the process to succeed.
Despite delays, sources close to both the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) have dismissed claims that the peace initiative is faltering.
“There is no deviation from our goal of a terrorism-free Turkey,” a senior AKP official told the T24 news outlet. “We will not be the side that backs away. The laying down of arms is just the beginning—other steps will follow in response to society’s demands.”
The official noted that discussions around Öcalan’s prison conditions, including demands for greater freedom of communication, will not be considered unless the PKK first fully disarms and disbands.
A senior DEM Party figure emphasized that dialogue remains ongoing, even as public messaging from both sides has at times caused friction. “This is not a transactional process but a step-by-step evolution based on goodwill,” the official said, highlighting that the real test will come after the congress and will depend on the state’s follow-up actions.
Founded by Öcalan in 1978, the PKK has waged a bloody insurgency in Turkey’s southeast since 1984. It is designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the EU. After a failed peace process in 2015, the conflict reignited, and Öcalan’s contact with the outside world was largely cut off until recently.
The renewed dialogue began unexpectedly in October 2024, when Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli, an ally of President Erdoğan, made a surprising gesture suggesting Öcalan be given an opportunity to pursue peace if he rejected violence. The suggestion was backed by Erdoğan and followed by a series of visits to Öcalan by DEM Party delegations, the most recent of which took place in late April.
