Middle East changes drive Turkey’s engagement with PKK: senior leader

Cemil Bayık, co-chair of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), a political umbrella group linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), recently told BBC Persian that Turkey’s renewed engagement with imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan reflects major geopolitical shifts in the Middle East.

The PKK, founded in 1978 to advocate for Kurdish self-determination, has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984, resulting in over 40,000 deaths.

Designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies, the PKK operates across Turkey, Iraq and Syria.

Bayık said Turkey, concerned by its declining regional influence and the rising prominence of Kurdish groups, particularly in combating the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), is compelled to recognize Öcalan — also referred to by Kurds as “Apo” — as a key figure in resolving the decades-long conflict.

Bayık described Turkey’s outreach as a pragmatic response to regional crises, including shifting power dynamics in Syria and Iraq. “Major transformations in the Middle East have alarmed Turkey. To navigate this dangerous situation, Turkey has had to acknowledge Apo as an influential actor,” he said.

He claimed Turkey’s primary goal remains weakening Öcalan and the PKK’s influence, despite the engagement.

Turkey’s regional setbacks, such as strained relations with the US over Kurdish forces in Syria and reduced leverage in Iraq, have amplified the strategic weight of Kurdish groups, Bayık said. “Everyone is trying to win Kurds to their side; whoever succeeds will dominate in the Middle East.”

Abdullah Öcalan, captured in 1999 and held on Imrali Island, remains a pivotal figure for Kurds despite his imprisonment.

On February 27, 2025 Öcalan issued a public call via intermediaries for the PKK to disarm and dissolve itself, framing it as a step toward a democratic resolution of the Kurdish issue. The call followed months of anticipation, with political leaders such as Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), urging the PKK to end its activities.

In his statement Öcalan said, “Hold your conference and make a decision. All groups must lay down their weapons, and the PKK must disband.” He framed this as a historic responsibility and urged the PKK to “convene your congress and decide to integrate with the state and society.”

Öcalan’s message emphasized that this perspective requires, in practice, the laying down of arms and the PKK’s disbanding, along with the recognition of democratic politics and legal dimensions.

Bayık characterized this as a strategic move, building on Öcalan’s earlier peace initiatives, such as a 1993 ceasefire under then-president Turgut Özal, which collapsed after Özal’s untimely death in office.

Unlike past efforts, Öcalan’s current vision stresses democracy, environmentalism and women’s rights as pillars for a lasting solution, aiming to end the armed conflict and address Kurdish grievances within a democratic framework.

However, Bayık underscored that the PKK would not disarm without “tangible guarantees,” including constitutional recognition of Kurdish cultural and political rights and Öcalan’s release. “We will not surrender nor disarm without guarantees. If Turkey recognizes Kurdish rights and frees Öcalan, we will return peacefully. Until then, we will defend ourselves,” he declared.

Following Öcalan’s call, the PKK Executive Committee announced its support, stating it would fulfill the requirements of his directive while demanding Öcalan’s release. The committee also declared a unilateral ceasefire effective March 1, 2025, stating that “no armed units will engage in actions unless attacked.”

Turkey has not held direct talks with PKK leaders, engaging only with Öcalan through state intermediaries. Turkish authorities, meanwhile, maintain a hardline position against the PKK, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stating that military operations would continue unless the group fully disbands.

“If promises are not kept, we will eliminate the last terrorist,” Erdoğan said at a public event, signaling skepticism about the PKK’s intentions. The pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) has facilitated indirect communication, but no official peace process has been announced.

Bayık said Turkey has no direct contact with PKK leadership, conducting negotiations only with Öcalan on İmralı island.

“The Turkish state insists on policies aimed at eliminating us. Returning to Turkey would mean imprisonment,” he added.

The Kurdish issue extends beyond Turkey, with Kurdish groups gaining prominence in Syria and Iraq. The People’s Protection Units (YPG), a PKK-affiliated group, have been critical US allies in defeating ISIL in Syria, straining Turkey-US relations, since Ankara views the YPG as an extension of the PKK. In Iraq Kurdish autonomy has strengthened since the 2003 US invasion, with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) wielding significant influence. These developments are pressuring Turkey to recalibrate its Kurdish strategy, analysts say.

The trajectory of Turkey-Kurdish negotiations will shape Middle East stability, influencing alliances, border security and energy politics.

As regional powers and global actors watch closely, mutual concessions — Turkey’s acknowledgment of Kurdish identity and the PKK’s verifiable laying down of arms — will determine whether this moment marks a turning point or another missed opportunity.