This article outlines critical moments in the Turkey-PKK conflict, highlighting Abdullah Ocalan’s role as a leader and the group’s evolution from its inception in 1978 to present-day negotiations and violence. It presents five key dates that chronicle the major events and shifts in dynamics between the PKK and the Turkish state, illustrating the complexities surrounding Kurdish liberation efforts.
Abdullah Ocalan, leader of the Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK), recently urged his fighters to disarm and dissolve the group he established, marking a significant moment in the ongoing conflict with Turkey. The PKK’s struggle against the Turkish state has resulted in tens of thousands of casualties over the years. Below are five pivotal dates that highlight the trajectory of Ocalan and the PKK’s activities throughout their history.
The PKK, founded in 1978 by students at Ankara University with a Marxist-Leninist ideology, set forth on a mission for Kurdish liberation through armed struggle. Ocalan, who was studying political science at the time, emerged as the organization’s leader, uniting a predominantly Kurdish base behind the cause.
Following a military coup in Turkey in 1980, Ocalan and PKK militants fled to Syria and Lebanon, where they began armed conflict against the Turkish state in 1984. This era was marked by militant training in Lebanon and assaults on Turkish military targets, igniting a violent response from Turkey and leading to widespread clashes, particularly in the Kurdish-majority southeast, reminiscent of a civil war.
Ocalan was apprehended on February 15, 1999, in Kenya, and sentenced to death by a Turkish court. He was subsequently imprisoned in solitary confinement on Imrali Island, near Istanbul. In 2002, the death penalty was abolished in Turkey amid reforms supported by the European Union, leading to the commutation of his sentence to life imprisonment.
On March 21, 2013, during Newroz, the Kurdish New Year, Ocalan called for the PKK to disarm in a message communicated through the pro-Kurdish party HDP, while negotiations were also conducted by Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization in Oslo. These peace efforts turned sour in July 2015 after a fatal bombing in Suruc, further aggravated by the HDP’s electoral success, which threatened the ruling government’s stability.
In response to escalating tensions, Turkey launched airstrikes against PKK assets in Iraq and intensified military operations domestically. The PKK retaliated with urban warfare tactics, resulting in ferocious confrontations in cities like Diyarbakir, leaving a deep-seated impact within local communities.
Deteriorating relations followed the unsuccessful coup attempt in 2016, with a subsequent clampdown on Kurdish political endeavors and the arrest of numerous Kurdish politicians. Additionally, Turkey deployed troops in northern Syria to bolster its borders.
Notably, after years of conflict characterized by periodic violence, the Nationalist MHP party extended an unexpected gesture toward Ocalan, urging him to renounce violence—a move that received the backing of President Erdogan. Consequently, a delegation from the DEM party conducted three meetings with Ocalan on Imrali on December 28, January 22, and February 27.
The longstanding conflict between Turkey and the PKK has undergone numerous phases since the group’s inception in 1978. The evolution has seen key moments including Ocalan’s imprisonment, attempts at peace talks, and subsequent escalations in violence. Despite recent discussions aimed at resolving the conflict, the path toward lasting peace remains fraught with challenges, as both sides navigate historical grievances and political pressures.
Original Source: www.newarab.com
