In a development that could reshape Turkey’s modern history, the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has announced it is laying down arms after nearly 40 years of conflict with the Turkish state. The PKK disbandment 2025 signals a possible end to one of the world’s longest-running insurgencies, which has claimed over 40,000 lives and left scars on both Kurdish and Turkish communities.
The move follows a February call for peace by PKK founder Abdullah Öcalan, who remains imprisoned on an island near Istanbul. While government officials cautiously welcomed the announcement, no concrete promises have yet been made regarding Kurdish political or cultural rights.
A War Without Winners
The PKK disbandment 2025 is a turning point in a conflict that began in 1984, rooted in Kurdish demands for autonomy, language rights, and recognition. Despite decades of bloodshed across Turkey and parts of northern Iraq, neither side has achieved decisive victory.
In Diyarbakir—Turkey’s unofficial Kurdish capital—residents reacted with a mix of cautious optimism and hardened skepticism. Necmettin Bilmez, a 65-year-old driver, expressed doubt. “The government has been tricking us for thousands of years,” he said. “I’ll only believe this is real when I hold an ID card that says I am Kurdish.”
But others, like 80-year-old Mehmet Ek, welcomed the gesture. “I salute anyone who will stop this bloodshed,” he said. “Both the PKK fighter and the Turkish soldier are our sons. We are all losing.”
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Muted Response in a Wounded City
Diyarbakir bears the marks of the long war. In 2015, urban battles between the PKK and Turkish forces destroyed parts of the city. Today, ruins remain as stark reminders of a conflict that devastated families and displaced thousands.
Despite the PKK’s call for peace, many Kurds are waiting for action—not just words. “There have been no winners,” said local resident Ibrahim Nazlican. “Only harm, loss, and grief on both sides.”
The government of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has not made any public commitments on the status of Kurdish political prisoners or broader cultural recognition. Still, a spokesperson for Erdoğan’s party described the move as a step toward a “terror-free Turkey.”
Families Caught in the Crossfire
Among those hoping for peace is Menice, a mother who has lost five family members to the conflict, including her son Zindan, who joined the PKK at 17 and was killed in a Turkish airstrike at 25. “We named him Zindan because his father was in prison when he was born,” she said, surrounded by photos of her fallen loved ones.
Her surviving son, Berxwendan, also joined the PKK at 17 and recently sent the family a photo during Ramadan—his first contact in years. “I hope he and his friends will return now,” she said through tears. “Let there be no more killing. We’ve all suffered enough.”
For many families, the disbandment raises hopes not only for peace but for reunification with loved ones who disappeared into the mountains.
Öcalan and the Unresolved Kurdish Question
Despite being imprisoned since 1999, Abdullah Öcalan remains a revered figure among many Kurds. His February message calling for peace and stating that “there is no alternative to democracy” appears to have spurred the PKK’s decision.
Supporters insist that his release is essential to genuine reconciliation. “If our leader is not free, we will never be free,” said Menice. “Peace must include freedom for Öcalan.”
Öcalan’s continued detention remains a point of contention. While the Turkish state considers the PKK a terrorist organization—as do the U.S., UK, and EU—many Kurdish citizens view him as a political prisoner who amplified Kurdish identity on the world stage.
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What Comes Next? Unanswered Questions
While the PKK disbandment 2025 has been hailed by some as a step toward national healing, key questions remain unanswered. Will there be a general amnesty for former fighters? Will Kurdish politicians be released from jail? Will there be constitutional recognition of Kurdish identity?
Political calculations could play a role. Erdoğan, facing elections in 2028 and a possible third term bid, may need the support of pro-Kurdish parties. Meanwhile, the PKK’s operational capacity has diminished significantly due to Turkish drone strikes and regional crackdowns in Iran and Syria.
The timing may be driven by strategic necessity as much as goodwill. Both sides are tired—and weaker. That shared fatigue could be the foundation for a new chapter.
The PKK disbandment 2025 offers a fragile opening in a conflict that has long seemed unending. Yet for millions of Kurds and Turks, peace will not be measured merely by silence on the battlefield. It will be judged by justice, dignity, and whether the deeper wounds of history are addressed—not ignor
