PREVIEW

PKK Announces End to Armed Struggle After 40 Years. After four decades of conflict, the outlawed Kurdish militant group PKK has announced it is laying down arms and disbanding. The decision follows a February appeal from the group’s jailed leader, Abdullah Ocalan, who has been imprisoned since 1999. Originally fighting for an independent Kurdish state, the PKK later shifted toward demanding greater autonomy and rights within Turkey. The insurgency has claimed over 40,000 lives. Now, the PKK says it has “completed its historical mission” and will pursue change through democratic means, ending its armed campaign. Ocalan, 76, declared from prison that “there is no alternative to democracy” and called for peaceful resolution. While the Turkish government and Western allies still label the PKK a terrorist group, speculation is growing that Ocalan’s move may be part of a broader deal—possibly even paving the way for parole.
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