The Kurdish PKK group says it lays weapons and dissolves

A banned Kurdish group PKK, which put up a 40-year uprising against Turkey, has announced that it is putting on weapons and dissolving.

This move followed a call in February from the closed leader of the Abdullah Okalan group to dissolve the organization. The group is banned as a terrorist group in Turkey, the EU, the United Kingdom and the US.

Initially, the PKK uprising aims to create an independent homeland for Kurds, representing about 20% of Turkey’s population. But since then, she has moved away from her separatist goals, focusing instead on more autonomy and bigger Kurdish rights.

More than 40,000 people were killed during the conflict.

In February, the 76 -year -old Okalan called on his movement to put his hands and dissolve. The leader of the PKK has been in prison on an island in the sea of ​​Marmara, southwest of Istanbul, since 1999.

Okalan wrote a letter from prison in February saying that “there is no alternative to democracy in the pursuit and realization of a political system. Democratic consensus is the main way.”

It is unclear what Okalan and his supporters will receive in exchange for a dissolution, but there is speculation that he can be released.

Kurdish politicians will hope for a new political dialogue and a way to more Kurdish rights.

Both sides had reasons to make a deal now.

PKK has been severely affected by the Turkish military in recent years, and regional changes make it difficult for them and their branches to act in Iraq and Syria.

President Erdogan needs the support of professional political parties if he wants to be able to run again in the next presidential election in Turkey, which should be in 2028.

The solution to relax was an important step towards a turkey without a terrorist and the process will be monitored by state institutions, said President Tayyip Erdogan’s AK Party spokesman, according to the Reuters Agency.

Wintrop Rogers, the International Trust House House, said it would be a “major democratic transition from Turkey” to comply with the demands of Kurdish political parties.

There has been a “some reputation” in recent months by some Turkish leaders, Rogers said, which allowed PKK to dissolve to appear.

He added: “But whether this extends to the main changes needed to ensure full participation of the Kurdish Kurd in politics and society is far less clear.

“In many ways, the ball is on the court of Turkey.”