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PKK militant group declares ceasefire after 40-year insurgency against Turkish state
The conflict between Turkey and the PKK, which initially started with the aim of creating a Kurdish state, has led to tens of thousands of deaths since it began in 1984.
ADVERTISEMENTPKK militants who have waged a 40-year insurgency in Turkey have declared a ceasefire, two days after their imprisoned leader called for the group to disarm.
The statement from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party was published by the Firat News Agency, a media outlet which is close to the group.
Referring to Abdullah Öcalan, who has been imprisoned by Turkey since 1999, the group said, “We declare a ceasefire effective today to pave the way for the implementation of Leader Apo’s Call for Peace and Democratic Society. None of our forces will take armed action unless attacked.”
The PKK announcement comes against the backdrop of fundamental changes in the region, including the reconfiguration of power in neighbouring Syria after the ouster of President Bashar Al Assad, the weakening of Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Israel-Hamas war in Gaz.
The conflict between Turkey and the PKK has led to tens of thousands of deaths since it began in 1984.
Its initial aim was the creation of a separate Kurdish state but later changed to demands for greater autonomy.
Saturday’s ceasefire is the first sign of a breakthrough since peace talks between the group and Ankara broke down in the summer of 2015.
A campaign of pressure
On Thursday, a delegation of Kurdish politicians announced Öcalan’s call for the PKK to lay down its arms and disband after visiting him in prison.
In its statement, the PKK’s executive committee said Öcalan’s call indicated that a “new historical process has begun in Kurdistan and the Middle East.” Kurdistan refers to the parts of Turkey, Iraq, Syria and Iran inhabited by Kurds.
While stating that it would “comply with and implement the requirements of the call from our own side,” the PKK emphasized that “democratic politics and legal grounds must also be suitable for success.”
Öcalan’s call came as the main pro-Kurdish political party in Turkey has faced pressure, with several of its mayors being removed from office in recent months and replaced by government appointees.
The PKK also appealed for Öcalan to be released from Imrali prison, located on an island in the Marmara Sea, to “personally direct and execute” a party congress that would lead to the militants laying down their arms.
The peace initiative between the Turkish state and the PKK, which is considered a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the EU, the US and other Western allies, was started in October by Erdoğan’s coalition partner, Devlet Bahceli, a far-right politician who suggested that Öcalan could be granted parole if his group renounces violence and disbands.
Erdoğan said Öcalan’s message was a “new phase” in peace efforts in Turkey.
“There is an opportunity to take a historic step toward tearing down the wall of terror that has stood between (Turkish and Kurdish peoples’) 1,000-year-old brotherhood,” Erdoğan said on Friday.
ADVERTISEMENTErdoğan’s allies eye Kurdish support
Some believe the main aim of the reconciliation effort is for Erdoğan’s government to garner Kurdish support for a new constitution that would allow him to remain in power beyond 2028, when his term ends.
Bahceli has openly called for a new constitution, saying it was essential for Turkey’s future that Erdoğan remain in power. Erdoğan and Bahceli are reportedly seeking parliamentary support from the pro-Kurdish People’s Equality and Democracy Party (DEM).
“There will be a series of meetings next week, including state officials and politicians, and many things will become clearer and more concrete. We hope that everything will be arranged in the next three months,” said Sirri Sureyya Onder, one of the DEM members who visited Öcalan in prison.
Öcalan, 75, wields significant influence in the Kurdish movement despite his 25-year imprisonment, during which the PKK has been led by top figures who have fled and found sanctuary in the Kurdish region in northern Iraq.
ADVERTISEMENTKurdish fighters in Syria, who have ties to the PKK, have been involved in intense fighting with Turkish-backed forces in the region.
The leader of the US-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces has said Öcalan’s call for a ceasefire does not apply to the group in Syria.
The Turkish government however insists all groups with links to the PKK, whether in Turkey, Syria or Iraq, must disband.
In recent years, the PKK has been limited to isolated attacks inside Turkey as the Turkish military, backed by armed drones, has pushed PKK insurgents increasingly across the mountainous border into Iraq.
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Turkey’s central bank lowered its key interest rate by 2.5 percentage points on Thursday, its third consecutive cut, reacting to a slowdown in inflation in the country.
ADVERTISEMENTTurkey lowered its benchmark one-week repo rate from 45% to 42.5% on Thursday.
The decision came after official data showed annual inflation dipping below 40% for the first time in nearly two years.
In a statement released after the committee meeting, the bank said it would review inflation trends and adjust rates cautiously in upcoming policy meetings.
“While inflation expectations and pricing behaviour tend to improve, they continue to pose risks to the disinflation process,” the bank said.
“Monetary policy tools will be used effectively in case a significant and persistent deterioration in inflation is foreseen.”
Annual inflation in Turkey slowed to 39.1% in February from 42.1% in the previous month, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute.
However, a group of independent economists have raised concerns about the official inflation figures and estimate the rate to be significantly higher.
High inflation in Turkey has been attributed to a combination of factors, including rising energy prices and the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Analysts also blame the past economic policies of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan – who unconventionally decided to lower interest rates in the face of soaring inflation.
Erdogan has long argued that high interest rates cause inflation, a theory that runs contrary to mainstream economic theory.
In 2023, President Erdogan appointed a new economic team, signalling a shift away from his unorthodox policies.
The team initially implemented a series of interest rate hikes to combat inflation.
After maintaining the interest rate at 50% for several months, the bank has embarked on a gradual cycle of rate cuts.
Ankara has pledged to fully apply a law to remove millions of stray dogs from the streets after the death of a toddler. However, opponents believe this could lead to further widespread neglect of pets.
ADVERTISEMENTTurkey’s interior minister has pledged to fully apply a law to remove millions of stray dogs from the streets in the wake of the death of a toddler earlier this week.
“Either they will do this job or I will use whatever authority the law gives me to the fullest,” Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said in a video message posted on social media.
The two-year-old Rana El Selci died after being attacked by a pack of stray dogs in the central Turkish city of Konya on Friday, sparking fresh outcry about the 4 million stray dogs that the government estimates roam Turkey’s streets and rural areas.
A criminal investigation was launched following her death as municipal workers began rounding up dogs in the city. On Saturday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the government was “taking determined steps to ensure the implementation of the law.”
The legislation – labelled the “massacre law” by animal welfare groups – was passed by parliament last summer but has been only partially implemented by municipal authorities.
It requires municipalities to collect stray dogs and house them in shelters to be vaccinated, neutered or spayed before making them available for adoption. Dogs that are in pain, terminally ill, or pose a health risk to humans will be euthanised.
A report released by the Safe Streets and Defence of the Right to Life Association, an organisation campaigning for the removal of all stray dogs from the streets, says that 65 people have died in street dog attacks since 2022, not including Rana El Selci.
Animal lovers fear the legislation will lead to dogs being killed or ending up in neglected, overcrowded shelters. When the law was passed, the main opposition party pledged that its municipalities would not implement the round-up of strays.
Admiration for ‘man’s best friend’
The issue has proven to be divisive in Turkish society, with at least one former government minister having professed his admiration for “man’s best friend”.
During the COVID-19 pandemic five years ago, the former Minister of Justice Adbulhamit Gul posted a photo of himself on X petting a dog, saying: ”We should not abandon our animal friends during these tough days.”
The post came as the government was publicly promoting feeding stray animals whilst COVID-19 restrictions were in force.
Meanwhile, demonstrations in cities across Turkey have seen thousands call for the law to be scrapped. There have also been protests across Europe, as people warned the legislation could dissuade tourists from visiting Turkey.
Some critics have blamed the growth in the stray canine population on the failure to implement previous regulations, which required stray dogs to be caught, neutered, or spayed and returned to their original location.
Turkey’s Animal Rights Federation, HAYTAP, posted a video on X showing stray dogs and cats peacefully coexisting with people in the street, in shops, and even on the metro network.
The organisation recalled a previous attempt to get rid of stray dogs in 1910 in a statement on its website: “In an effort to ‘Westernise’ Istanbul just before the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the Sultan ordered tens of thousands stray dogs from Istanbul to be sent to a nearby island.”
ADVERTISEMENT“The island did not have food or water for the dogs, so this ended horribly with cannibalisation, starvation, and many dogs drowning trying to swim back. Records show reports of people on the mainland being haunted by hearing the howls of the starving dogs on the island,” HAYTAP said.
Animal rights activists are concerned that some municipalities might kill dogs on the pretext that they are ill rather than allocate resources to shelter them.
Videos showing dead cats and dogs buried in ditches have been circulating on social media. Animal rights activists say the animals were indiscriminately killed after the passage of the law.
The leaders of Turkey and Poland met in Ankara to discuss strengthening ties during Warsaw’s presidency of the European Council and regional issues, including Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine.
ADVERTISEMENTPolish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Wednesday proposed that Turkey take an active role in initiating peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
At a joint press conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara, Tusk said both Turkey and Poland have wanted peace since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Tusk added that Warsaw welcomed talks held in Saudi Arabia this week – in which Ukraine agreed to a US-proposed immediate one-month ceasefire pending Moscow’s acceptance.
“Our goal is to stabilise the region. We need to rebuild Ukraine,” he said. “This is an opportunity for both Polish and Turkish companies.”
Following a meeting between the two leaders in which they discussed bilateral and global issues, Erdoğan told reporters that Turkey and Poland are key allies positioned on the eastern and southern flanks of NATO.
The two countries command the alliance’s two largest ground armies in Europe.
Erdoğan also emphasised that Turkey’s membership in the EU is a strategic goal.
“If the European Union wants to prevent and even reverse its loss of power and altitude, it can only do so with Turkey’s full membership,” he said.
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