PKK Declares Ceasefire with Turkey After Leader's Call

ankara - The Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) has declared a ceasefire with Turkey following a call from its leader.

PKK Announces Ceasefire with Turkey

The PKK's executive committee has announced an immediate ceasefire with Turkey to pave the way for the implementation of leader Apo's call for peace and a democratic society, according to the pro-PKK ANF news agency. They state their troops will only act if attacked.

There is also a call for the release of Öcalan, who founded the PKK in 1978 and has been imprisoned in Turkey since 1999. The PKK expresses hope that Öcalan can lead the disarmament process, emphasizing the need for the right political and democratic conditions for the ceasefire to succeed.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed the call on Friday, stating, "Efforts for a terrorism-free Turkey have entered a new phase since yesterday. We have the opportunity to take a historic step towards the goal of bringing down the wall of terrorism."

The PKK has been engaged in armed conflict with Turkey since 1984, seeking an independent or autonomous Kurdistan. The armed struggle has resulted in over 40,000 deaths. Turkey, the European Union, and the United States, among others, have designated the organization as a terrorist group.