The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) stated on Monday that over 40,000 individuals have lost their lives due to conflicts involving its militants and Turkish forces during the more than four years of rebellion against the Turkish government.
The PKK aimed to establish an independent Kurdish state within Turkey, which has a Kurdish population constituting about 20% of its total 86 million inhabitants. The PKK is classified as a terrorist organization by the US, the European Union, and Turkey.
In their announcement, the PKK mentioned it is “completing a historic mission.” Over time, their focus has shifted away from seeking independence to advocating for enhanced Kurdish rights and a degree of autonomy in southeastern Turkey.
According to a representative from the PKK, this struggle has challenged systemic denial and oppression against Kurds, pushing the Kurdish issue into a realm where democratic solutions can be sought.
Following this declaration, Fahrettin Altun, Turkey’s Presidential Director of Communications, suggested that Turkey could now take necessary measures to secure a “fearless” nation.
The dissolution of the PKK poses numerous questions for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, particularly regarding the situation in northern Syria and the relationship with American-aligned Kurdish forces (YPG). Turkey views the YPG as an extension of the PKK, resulting in repeated military actions against Kurdish groups in Syria.
Abdullah Okaran, a key PKK leader imprisoned since 1999, called for the PKK’s dissolution in February. However, Mazurum Abdi, a commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)—a coalition including the YPG—stated that Okaran’s request doesn’t apply to their organization.
In stark contrast to Turkey’s view, the US and the EU continue to support the SDF and YPG in their efforts against Islamist terrorism in Syria, seeing no direct links between these forces and the PKK.
For years, reports have highlighted Turkey’s ongoing attempts to suppress Kurdish forces that played a significant role in combating the Islamic State. The Kurdish community, numbering around 30 million across Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria, remains one of the largest ethnic groups without a nation, speaking various dialects and primarily adhering to Sunni Islam.
