The News
The Kurdistan Workers Party militant group, known as the PKK, announced Monday that it would disband, ending 40 years of deadly conflict with the Turkish government.
The PKK originally sought to establish an independent Kurdish state, but more recently focused on securing Kurdish people’s rights — some 20% of Turkey’s population are Kurdish. The decision came after the PKK’s leader, who was jailed in 1999, in February called for disarmament and to instead pursue democracy. It remains unclear how the disarmament will proceed, including what will happen to PKK leaders, or how other Kurdish groups in neighboring Iraq and Syria might respond.
Still, the decision could boost Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan politically, analysts said, as he looks to rally support to possibly extend his presidency beyond his current term end in 2028.