Turkiye hails PKK dissolution as historic step toward national unity

Shafaq News

12-05-2025

Shafaq News/ On Monday, Turkiye welcomed the Kurdistan Workers' Party's (PKK) decision to dissolve itself and end its decades-long armed campaign.
Omer Celik, spokesperson for the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party, said the PKK's dissolution—announced following a call by imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan—marks 'an important step toward the goal of a terror-free Turkiye.'
'The decision of the PKK to dissolve itself and lay down its arms following the call from Imrali is an important step,' Celik said, referring to Ocalan's detention on Imrali Island. 'If fully implemented—through the dismantling of all PKK branches and illegal structures—it will represent a turning point.'
Celik emphasized that Turkish state institutions will closely monitor the implementation process on the ground, with all developments reported directly to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He underscored that the process is being guided by a comprehensive state strategy, reflecting Erdogan's 'long-standing commitment' to internal security and national cohesion.
He also credited the 'historic call' and support of Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli, whose alliance with the AK Party has reinforced Turkiye's domestic political front.
'This process is about much more than ending armed activity—it is about restoring the primacy of democratic politics as the legitimate framework for addressing differences,' Celik noted. He said that productive dialogue among political institutions has enabled Turkiye to move beyond armed conflict toward a future rooted in citizenship and constitutional values.
Celik also warned against complacency, stressing that the decision must be implemented 'in all its aspects, both internally and externally.' He argued that full and concrete action is necessary to block foreign efforts to destabilize the region through proxy militias.
'A truly terror-free Turkiye will empower democratic institutions, strengthen national unity, and allow all political actors to operate more freely and effectively,' he said, adding that the Parliament and broader political system will benefit from the removal of threats posed by terrorism.
Sayın Cumhurbaşkanımızın 'terörsüz Türkiye' için ortaya koyduğu yüksek siyasi iradesi ve sürecin koordinatlarını 'devlet politikası' olarak çizen kapsayıcı ve net yaklaşımı ile Sayın Devlet Bahçeli'nin tarihi çağrısı, gelişmelere dönük duruşu ve yönlendirmeleri, topyekun 'iç…
— Ömer Çelik (@omerrcelik) May 12, 2025
The PKK, designated as a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the United States, and the European Union, announced its dissolution earlier Monday through the Firat News Agency. The group described the move as the conclusion of its 'historical mission' and called for a redefinition of Turkish-Kurdish relations through political means.
The development follows a February appeal by Ocalan, who urged all affiliated armed groups to disband and shift focus to political engagement.