Ankara, Turkey – The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) said on Wednesday that Turkey has failed to meet its obligations under the peace agreement.
Mustafa Karasu, one of the PKK’s founders and senior leaders, told Media Haber that “We are ready, but the Turkish government has not taken the necessary steps to complete the process.”
Karasu accused a faction within the Turkish state of seeking to derail the peace process and expressed regret that the conditions of the PKK’s imprisoned founder Abdullah Öcalan have not improved. Öcalan had called on the group at the end of February to dissolve itself and abandon armed struggle.
Karasu noted that “Some comrades have visited İmralı Island off Istanbul, where Öcalan is imprisoned, but this is not enough. He has been held in solitary confinement for 26 years.”
Related: Kurdish PKK Disbands Armed Wing, Declares End to Armed Conflict with Turkey
On Wednesday, media sources reported that the PKK officially began handing over its weapons during a ceremony in Sulaymaniyah in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, a practical step towards implementing its decision to disband, in response to Öcalan’s appeal.
According to Turkey’s Anka news agency, PKK members handed over weapons to designated units at the ceremony, which was attended by senior leader Mustafa Karasu.
On February 27, Abdullah Öcalan issued an appeal for a general congress of the PKK to announce its dissolution and disarmament under the slogan “A Call for Peace and a Democratic Society.”
In early March, the PKK’s executive committee announced its full commitment to Öcalan’s call, which he made just two days earlier, urging members to lay down their arms.
In a statement, the PKK leadership said: “Leader Abdullah Öcalan’s statement lights the path for all forces of freedom and democracy. Successfully implementing its content is of utmost importance.”
Read also: Syrian Kurdish Forces Call for Decentralized Governance in Talks with Damascus
The statement continued: “As the PKK, we fully agree with the substance of this call and announce our commitment to fulfilling its requirements. However, it remains essential to secure the necessary democratic political conditions and legal framework to ensure its success.”
The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) is a Kurdish militant group that has waged an insurgency against Turkey since 1984. It is designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the EU. PKK founder Abdullah Öcalan, imprisoned since 1999, recently called for the group to disband and pursue a peaceful, democratic path; a dramatic shift after decades of armed struggle.
