According to a report, the militant kurdish workers party (pkk) have declared a ceasefire following their leader’s call for them to lay down their arms. Reportedly, their leader, Abdullah Ocalan who has ended forty years of conflict has been imprisoned in Turkey since 1999. According to the report, in a statement on Saturday the pkk said they hoped Turkey would release Mr Ocalan who has been kept in solitary confinement so he can lead a process of disarmament.
Reportedly, Mr Ocalan met mp’s from the pro kurdish party on Imrali, a Turkish prison island in the sea of Marmara, the pkk hope he can be released soon. According to the report, in a statement on Saturday they said that in order to pave the way for implementation of Mr Ocalan’s call for peace and democratic society they are declaring a ceasefire effective from Saturday, none of their forces will take armed action unless attacked.
Reportedly, the group have fought since 1984 for the cause of establishing a kurdish homeland, kurds make up 20% of the turkish population. Kurdish nationalism is a movement in favour of an independent Kurdistan from Turkey, Syria, Iran and Iraq.
.