The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), long designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey and multiple international actors, has officially declared its dissolution following its 12th General Congress held between May 5 and 7, 2025. The statement marks the formal end of a four-decade-long armed campaign that began in 1984 and resulted in over 40,000 casualties, predominantly among Kurdish civilians and Turkish security forces.
According to the announcement, all military structures affiliated with the organization are to be dismantled and disarmed. This decision follows a ceasefire declared earlier in March and is presented as a strategic transition from armed struggle to civil political engagement. The move comes in the context of persistent military pressure from Turkish security operations, regional geopolitical shifts, and a recent call by the group’s imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan, urging the PKK to adopt non-violent methods within the framework of democratic politics.
The Turkish government has cautiously welcomed the decision. Presidential spokesperson Omer Celik described the development as a “historic turning point” and emphasized the need for the process to be comprehensive, irreversible, and inclusive of all factions operating under or alongside the PKK banner, including groups based in Syria and Iraq.
Founded in 1978 with Marxist-Leninist roots, the PKK sought Kurdish autonomy and later broader political rights for Kurds in Turkey. Over the years, the organization’s methods and ideology evolved, but its continued use of violence isolated it diplomatically and morally, especially as nationalist and far-left ideologies waned in regional politics. The group’s declining strategic leverage has been exacerbated by effective Turkish counterinsurgency operations, the erosion of foreign support, and growing internal dissent.
With the group’s official disbandment, Turkey stands at a potential crossroads. While Ankara has achieved a major milestone in its longstanding domestic security agenda, the prospect of lasting peace will depend on the government’s willingness to implement inclusive reforms that address the cultural and political demands of its Kurdish population, without compromising national integrity.
For now, the PKK’s disarmament represents a significant opportunity for national consolidation. However, the success of this transition will hinge on vigilant oversight, sustained demilitarization, and the absence of external actors attempting to revive separatist militancy under new guises.