Turkish President Calls on PKK to Disarm
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Ankara, Jan 12 (NationPress) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) to relinquish their arms, indicating a possible breakthrough in one of the nation's longest-standing conflicts.
Speaking in the Kurdish-majority city of Diyarbakir on Saturday, Erdogan referred to a "new and significant opportunity" to settle a conflict that has resulted in tens of thousands of casualties since the 1980s. "We do not believe it is justifiable to let this chance slip away," he remarked.
His administration has recently garnered backing from the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party, whose members met with Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned PKK leader, to discuss potential disarmament, as reported by Xinhua news agency citing local media.
Local news indicates that Ocalan might soon encourage PKK fighters to surrender their weapons, potentially heralding a significant shift in the long-standing conflict.
This peace initiative arises as Turkey aims to bolster its internal cohesion amidst regional unrest. Erdogan stressed the importance of eradicating what he termed "decades-long separatist terrorism" and consigning it "to history in all its forms."
While diplomatic efforts are ongoing, Turkish security forces continue to exert pressure on the group. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya revealed that police operations across 41 provinces over the past ten days had led to the apprehension of 147 suspected PKK affiliates.
Earlier on Saturday, the Turkish Defence Ministry announced that it had "neutralised" 11 members of the outlawed PKK during a cross-border operation in northern Iraq.
The PKK members were eliminated in the Hakurk, Metina, and Gara regions, according to a ministry statement, which did not disclose the operation date.
"We are committed to eradicating terrorism at its origin," the ministry emphasized.
Turkish officials frequently use the term "neutralise" to imply that the so-called "terrorists" have been either surrendered, captured, or killed.
The PKK is classified as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union and has been resisting the Turkish government for over three decades.
Turkish security forces routinely conduct cross-border operations in northern Iraq, targeting PKK hideouts and bases.
