The Kurdistan Workers' Party: From Marxist Insurgency to a 2025 Call for Disarmament

History · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Founded in the late 1970s by Abdullah Öcalan, the PKK evolved from a radical Marxist group seeking an independent Kurdish state into a force demanding autonomy. After decades of violent conflict and shifting political landscapes, the organization declared a ceasefire in March 2025 and announced its full dissolution in May.

The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) emerged in the late 1970s, formally founded in 1978 by Abdullah Öcalan and a group of students. Initially, the organization was driven by Marxist ideology and a demand for an independent Kurdish state, responding to the systemic suppression of Kurdish identity, language, and culture within Turkey. By the 1980s, following a military coup in Turkey, the group launched an armed campaign from camps in northern Iraq, leading to a protracted conflict characterized by guerrilla warfare and terrorism that claimed tens of thousands of lives.

The nature of the conflict shifted significantly over the decades. By the 1990s, the PKK began moving away from the goal of total independence, instead advocating for local self-administration and equal rights. This transition was influenced by Öcalan’s evolving social theories, which critiqued the nation-state model. Despite periods of secret negotiations and ceasefires—most notably in 2013—the conflict repeatedly reignited due to regional instability, including the rise of the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, and domestic political tensions within Turkey.

The final phase of the organization's history saw a dramatic pivot toward peace. Following new discussions in 2024, Öcalan issued a call for the PKK to disarm in early 2025. This culminated in a March 2025 ceasefire and the formal announcement of the group's dissolution in May 2025. While the PKK has declared its intent to pursue political means, the Turkish government has indicated that military operations will continue in regions where the group remains active, highlighting the complex and lingering legacy of this decades-long insurgency.

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