Statements released by Abdullah Ocalan or verified reports in major news outlets

Turkey's Pro-Kurdish DEM Party Meets Jailed PKK Leader Abdullah Ocalan for First Time in 10 Years, Signals Possible End to Insurgency

Dec 29, 2024, 03:05 AM

Turkey has permitted lawmakers from the pro-Kurdish Democratic Regions Party (DEM) to meet with Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), marking the first such visit in nearly a decade. The Justice Ministry approved the meeting, which took place on İmralı Island, as part of ongoing efforts toward Kurdish reconciliation. During the meeting, Ocalan reportedly expressed his willingness to contribute positively to a new political paradigm in Turkey, emphasizing the importance of strengthening Turkish-Kurdish brotherhood. His remarks included a suggestion that he might be ready to call for an end to the insurgency, which has lasted for over 40 years and resulted in more than 40,000 deaths. The visit is seen as a pivotal moment in Turkey's approach to addressing long-standing ethnic tensions and could signal a shift in the government's strategy regarding the Kurdish issue.