Kurdish group PKK says it is laying down arms and disbanding
Outlawed Kurdish group the PKK, which has waged a 40-year insurgency against Turkey, has announced it is laying down its arms and disbanding.
The move followed a call in February by the group's jailed leader, Abdullah Ocalan, for the organisation to disband. The group is banned as a terrorist group in Turkey, the EU, UK and US.
The PKK insurgency initially aimed to create an independent homeland for Kurds, who account for about 20% of Turkey's population. But it has since moved away from its separatist goals, focusing instead on more autonomy and greater Kurdish rights.
More than 40,000 people have been killed during the conflict.
In February, Ocalan, 76, called on his movement to lay down its arms and dissolve itself. The PKK leader has been in solitary confinement in prison on an island in the Sea of Marmara, south-west of Istanbul, since 1999.
Ocalan wrote a letter from prison in February saying "there is no alternative to democracy in the pursuit and realisation of a political system. Democratic consensus is the fundamental way."
It is unclear what Ocalan and his supporters will get in return for disbanding but there is speculation that he may be paroled.
Kurdish politicians will be hoping for a new political dialogue, and a pathway towards greater Kurdish rights.
Both sides had reasons to do a deal now.
The PKK has been hit hard by the Turkish military in recent years, and regional changes have made it harder for them and their affiliates to operate in Iraq and Syria.
President Erdogan needs the support of pro Kurdish political parties if he is to be able to run again in Turkey's next presidential election, due in 2028.
The decision to disband was an important step towards a "terror-free Turkey", and the process would be monitored by state institutions, a spokesperson for President Tayyip Erdogan's AK Party said, according to Reuters news agency.
Winthrop Rodgers, from the international affairs think tank Chatham House, said it would take "a major democratic transition by Turkey" to accommodate demands from Kurdish political parties.
There has been "some goodwill" from some Turkish leaders in recent months, Rodgers said, which allowed the PKK disbandment to play out.
He added: "But whether that extends to the major changes needed to ensure full Kurdish participation in politics and society is far less clear.
"In a lot of ways, the ball is in Turkey's court."
Who are the Kurds?
Jailed Kurdish leader issues call to lay down arms
Kurdish group PKK declares ceasefire with Turkey
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
8 hours ago
- Associated Press
Wagner Group leaving Mali after heavy losses but Russia's Africa Corps to remain
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — The Russia-backed Wagner Group said Friday it is leaving Mali after more than three and a half years of fighting Islamic extremists and insurgents in the country. Despite Wagner's announcement, Russia will continue to have a mercenary presence in the West African country. The Africa Corps, Russia's state-controlled paramilitary force, said on its Telegram channel Friday that Wagner's departure would not introduce any changes and the Russian contingent will remain in Mali. 'Mission accomplished. Private Military Company Wagner returns home,' the group announced via its channel on the messaging app Telegram. It said it had brought all regional capitals under control of the Malian army, pushed out armed militants and killed their commanders. Mali, along with neighbors Burkina Faso and Niger, has for more than a decade battled an insurgency fought by armed groups, including some allied with al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. As Western influence in the region has waned, Russia has sought to step into the vacuum, sweeping in with offers of assistance. Moscow initially expanded its military cooperation with African nations by using the Wagner Group of mercenaries. But since the group's leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, was killed in a plane crash in 2023, after mounting a brief armed rebellion in Russia that challenged the rule of President Vladimir Putin, Moscow has been developing the Africa Corps as a rival force to Wagner. Africa Corps is under direct command of the Russian defense ministry. According to U.S. officials, there are around 2,000 mercenaries in Mali. It is unclear how many are with Wagner and how many are part of the Africa Corps. Beverly Ochieng, a security analyst specializing in the Sahel for Control Risks consultancy, said the Russian defense ministry had been negotiating with Mali to take on more Africa Corps fighters and for Wagner mercenaries to join Russia's state-controlled paramilitary force. 'Since the death of Prigozhin, Russia has had this whole plan to then make the Wagner Group fall under the command of the Ministry of Defense. One of the steps they made was to revamp or introduce the Africa Corps, which is the way in which the Russian paramilitaries would retain a presence in areas where the Wagner group has been operating,' Ochieng said. Wagner has been present in Mali since late 2021 following a military coup, replacing French troops and international peacekeepers to help fight the militants. But the Malian army and Russian mercenaries struggled to curb violence in the country and have both been accused of targeting civilians. Last month, United Nations experts urged Malian authorities to investigate reports of alleged summary executions and forced disappearances by Wagner mercenaries and the army. In December, Human Rights Watch accused Malian armed forces and the Wagner Group of deliberately killing at least 32 civilians over an 8-month span. The announcement of Wagner's withdrawal comes as the Malian army and the Russian mercenaries suffered heavy losses during attacks by the al-Qaida linked group JNIM in recent weeks. Last week, JNIM fighters killed dozens of soldiers in an attack on a military base in central Mali. Rida Lyammouri, a Sahel expert at the Morocco-based Policy Center for the New South, said the major losses might have caused the possible end of Wagner's mission. 'The lack of an official and mutual announcement from both the Malian authorities and Wagner indicate possible internal dispute which led to this sudden decision. Simultaneously, this could point to a new framework for Russian presence in the country,' he said. Replacing Wagner with Africa Corps troops would likely shift Russia's focus in Mali from fighting alongside the Malian army to training, said Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel program at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. 'Africa Corps has a lighter footprint and focuses more on training, providing equipment and doing protection services. They fight less than the 'Rambo-type' Wagner mercenaries,' Laessing said. ___ Associated Press writer Monika Pronczuk in Dakar, Senegal, contributed.
CNN
14 hours ago
- CNN
5 things to know for June 6: War in Ukraine, Musk-Trump feud, International Criminal Court, Harvard, Measles
It doesn't matter if it's a long or short flight — once a plane lands on the runway, some travelers will immediately stand during taxiing rather than remain safely in their seats. However, this practice may be about to change because Turkish aviation authorities are taking a stand on standing. According to a new rule, any passenger on a commercial flight entering Turkey will be fined if they 'stand up, go to the corridor, open the overhead bins and proceed along the aisles' before the airplane has parked at the gate. Will fines end this ritual of impatience? Will other countries follow suit? Time will tell. Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day. Get '5 Things' in your inbox If your day doesn't start until you're up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to your new favorite morning fix. Sign up here for the '5 Things' newsletter. Powerful explosions reverberated across the Ukrainian capital overnight as Russia launched waves of drones and ballistic missiles at multiple targets. Search and rescue operations are underway, but at least four people have been killed in Kyiv, with dozens more wounded across Ukraine. The latest barrage comes after Ukraine launched audacious raids on airfields deep inside Russia last weekend. Ukraine also surprised Moscow by attacking the Kerch Bridge — the only direct connection point between Russia and the annexed Crimean Peninsula — with 1,100 kilograms of explosives that had been planted underwater. During a meeting at the White House on Thursday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said President Donald Trump is the one person who could help end the war. 'We both agree on this war and how terrible this war is going on, and we are both looking for ways to stop it very soon. And I told the president … he is the key person in the world who can really do that now by putting pressure on Russia,' Merz said. Two billionaires engaged in a war of words on their own social media sites Thursday, an online version of a reality TV show that kept many utterly transfixed to their screens. But because the individuals in question were tech mogul Elon Musk and the president of the United States, the increasingly heated exchange about Trump's massive tax and domestic policy bill affected stock prices, worried politicians, prompted calls for impeachment, and renewed interest in the controversial Epstein files. The pair had been close allies ever since Musk gave Trump's campaign a boost by donating over $290 million to Trump and other Republicans during the 2024 election cycle. After Trump's return to office, the world's richest man was a trusted adviser and frequent visitor to the White House. Musk also helmed the Department of Government Efficiency, which took a chainsaw to the federal workforce. But following Musk's recent departure from the administration, tensions have been growing between the two, and their vitriol was on full display for all to read. Secretary of State Marco Rubio unveiled new sanctions on Thursday that targeted four judges on the International Criminal Court for attempting to investigate the US and Israel for alleged war crimes. President Trump authorized the sanctions and possible entrance bans in an executive order he signed in February. That order had already been used to sanction ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan. In response, the ICC said the sanctions were 'a clear attempt to undermine the independence of an international judicial institution which operates under the mandate from 125 States Parties from all corners of the globe.' Last November, the ICC issued arrest warrants for top Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and for top Hamas leaders, including Yahya Sinwar, who was later killed. A federal judge has halted President Trump's latest attempt to prevent international students from attending Harvard University. Trump signed a proclamation on Wednesday to suspend international visas for new students at the school and directed the secretary of state to consider revoking visas for current Harvard students who meet the proclamation's 'criteria.' The temporary restraining order, issued late Thursday by US District Judge Allison Burroughs, came just hours after the university requested that she block the proclamation. Burroughs' order said that if she didn't intervene now, the school would 'sustain immediate and irreparable injury before there is an opportunity to hear from all parties.' A hearing has been set for mid-June. Summer travel season is here and that means millions of people will be in and out of busy airports, train stations and tourist destinations. With more than 1,100 measles cases already reported in the US this year, experts are urging vacationers to take extra precautions to avoid contracting the highly contagious virus. Dr. Scott Roberts, associate medical director for infection prevention at the Yale School of Medicine, said people should double-check their immunity status at least six weeks before traveling internationally and read the country-specific travel health notices on the CDC's website. He also recommended that all travelers stay up-to-date with vaccinations, engage in frequent hand-washing, avoid coming in contact with sick people whenever possible and wear masks if they are at high risk of severe illness. Mission failureResilience, a lunar lander built by Japan-based company Ispace, likely crashed as it attempted to touch down on the moon Thursday. Closing timeJust a few months after filing for bankruptcy, Hooters has shuttered about 30 locations. Singer reveals sicknessMorten Harket, lead singer of the band a-ha, has Parkinson's disease. The 65-year-old shared the diagnosis in an interview with the band's biographer and discussed how he's dealing with it. Real-life action hero'Mission: Impossible' star Tom Cruise has been awarded a Guinness World Record for the 'most burning parachute jumps by an individual.' Congrats Uzbekistan!A 0-0 draw against the UAE secured the White Wolves a top-two finish in Group A of the Asian Qualifiers — and a ticket to the World Cup. Uzbekistan is the first Central Asian country to make it to soccer's global competition. What popular item is returning to the McDonald's menu?A. Fried apple pieB. Chicken Caesar SaladC. McSushiD. Snack Wrap Take me to the quiz! 81That's how many years it's been since D-Day, the first day of the Normandy landings that laid the foundations for the Allied defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. 'There were these other remarkable women who carved a path, and there's no question in my mind it made the journey, because the path was well-traveled, it made the journey in many ways easier for me. It meant that I did not grow up believing that my gender meant that I couldn't be in politics or leadership. And that in itself is a gift.' — Jacinda Ardern, former prime minister of New Zealand, on being the third woman to lead the country. Check your local forecast here>>> Thirsting to visit a national park?These risqué ParkTok videos may be why. 5 Things AM is edited by CNN's Andrew Torgan and Lauren Chadwick.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Poll of the week: Should Ukraine accept the terms of Putin's ceasefire agreement?
Please build for 7am Friday - World News - thank you -- Vladimir Putin laid out his demands for both a ceasefire and ending the war in Ukraine in a meeting between the countries in Istanbul on Monday. As part of the demands, Russia would see that Ukraine kerbs the size of its military and recognises Russian as an official language. This week, we asked readers: Should Ukraine accept the terms of Putin's ceasefire agreement? A resounding 92 per cent of over 20,000 respondents said no. Telegraph readers reasoned that what Putin had put forward were not terms for peace, but 'demands for complete capitulation and subjugation'. Here's why you are against a ceasefire on Putin's terms. For many readers, agreeing to terms that include international recognition of Russian sovereignty over four eastern regions of Ukraine would undermine the bravery and determination of Ukrainians, who have fought against Russia's invasion. Indeed, countless readers say the West should continue to bolster Ukraine's military efforts. John Hughes, for example, believes the West needs 'to reward the Ukrainians for their incredible tenacity and flood the country with as much and as potent weaponry as possible, as quickly as possible.' Likewise, reader Hel Han says 'the West must back Ukraine to the hilt with weapons and political support', or the alternative 'is bleak.' And Damian McDonald states: 'The West and Trump in particular should put an end to this farce once and for all. Arm Ukraine to the hilt and let them finish the job!' 'These are not terms for peace,' Stephen Bell asserts. 'They are demands for complete capitulation and subjugation. Time to stop listening to Putin and apply the severest sanctions.' Many readers perceive Putin's peace terms appear to be an act of desperation, and indicate that Russia is backed into a corner. John Hughes, for instance, believes that 'the Russians are embarrassed and stalling for more time'. Nick Matthews speculates it is 'negotiation tactics 101' on Russia's part. 'Make the most ludicrous demands in the hope that you can negotiate down to something that suits you,' he explains, and suggests: 'Ukraine should reply in kind'. Similarly, Hel Han suggests 'Russia seems to be in an increasingly tenuous situation regarding making any demands.' The reader requests that 'the arbitrators of the peace talks need to remind them that they are in no position whatsoever to make any demands'. 'Russia is the aggressor and must withdraw and pay massive reparations,' they conclude. In response to Putin's demands, readers also questioned Russia's opposition to Ukraine joining Nato, a decision that lies with Ukraine and Nato members. 'It seems to me that Ukraine has made concessions while Russia has made none,' an anonymous reader says. They continue: 'If the invasion was all about the expansion of Nato, and Ukraine cannot join, why is that not enough concession?' Reader Bernie Thompson, meanwhile, is firstly unsurprised 'at the intransigence of Putin and his henchmen.' Mr Thompson argues: 'They should be granted Nato membership. This is the only language that Putin is prepared to understand, even if he says he doesn't.' He continues that as 'Russia violated the Budapest Memorandum in 2014, Ukraine should have the nukes that they surrendered returned to them.' The US President Donald Trump previously said Ukraine joining Nato was 'not on the table'. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
