The jailed leader of the PKK terrorist group has finally issued his historic call for the group to lay down its arms, marking a turning point in the terror-free Türkiye initiative launched last year by a government ally.

“As any contemporary community or party that has not been forcibly dissolved would voluntarily do, I urge you to convene your congress, integrate with the state and society, and make a decision: all groups must lay down their arms, and the PKK must dissolve itself,” PKK head Abdullah Öcalan said.

The statement was read on Thursday at a news conference in Istanbul by a delegation from the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), who visited Öcalan at the island prison where he is held off the coast of Istanbul. The delegation included lawmakers from the party, known for its links to the terrorist group.

The jailed terrorist leader said the dissolution of the group was necessary, as he said it emerged in the 20th century, a period marked by “intense violence, two world wars, the rise and fall of real socialism, the Cold War and the denial of Kurdish identity.” He claimed that the terrorist group was shaped by restrictions on freedoms, particularly freedom of expression.

“The collapse of real socialism in the 1990s due to internal reasons, the erosion of identity denial in the country, and advancements in freedom of expression have led to the PKK’s loss of meaning and excessive repetition. Therefore, like its counterparts, it has reached the end of its lifespan, making its dissolution necessary.”

The jailed terrorist leader stated that the second century of the republic must be built on democracy for lasting peace and unity, rejecting any alternative paths outside democratic consensus.

Referring to the current political climate shaped by calls from Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairperson Devlet Bahçeli, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s stance, and positive responses from other political parties, Öcalan called for disarmament and assumed historical responsibility for this appeal.

“The call made by Mr. Devlet Bahçeli, along with the determination expressed by Mr. President and the positive approaches of other political parties towards the well-known call, has created this climate, and in this context, I am making the call to lay down arms and taking on the historical responsibility of this call,” the statement said.

The statement referred to the terror-free Türkiye initiative call made by Bahçeli, which was supported by the government despite some resistance and objections.

Bahçeli’s historic call on Oct. 22 is viewed as the first step of the new initiative that gained its name through subsequent statements of Bahçeli and President Erdoğan, who endorsed the plan. His call involves removing Öcalan from solitary confinement at Imralı Island prison, at least temporarily.

Öcalan’s call was watched on giant screens by the public in southeastern Türkiye, where the DEM Party has significant support.

As journalists flocked to the conference venue, which was promoted as the location of the “call of the century” by the DEM Party, a new photo of Öcalan — who had not been allowed visitors for a long time — was shared with the media. The photo showed Öcalan as he penned his long-awaited letter addressing the Turkish public and the terrorist group.

The government, meanwhile, dismisses claims that Öcalan’s call would mark the end of the initiative. Officials have repeatedly stated that the terrorist group’s actions will not be tolerated, either in Türkiye or in neighboring Iraq and Syria, if they continue posing a threat to regional security. In fact, Turkish forces have continued their counterterrorism operations since the initiative began, not giving the group any rest, neither in Türkiye nor in Syria or Iraq.

Efkan Ala, deputy chair of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), speaking immediately after the statement was read on A Haber news channel, said, “If the terrorist organization evaluates this call, lays down its weapons, disbands, it will free Türkiye from its shackles.”

Officials say terrorism is an obstacle in cementing bonds between Turks and Kurds, and the initiative should not offend families who lost loved ones to decades of terrorism, as it aims to pave the way for a terror-free future.

Nechovian Barzano with Turkish MP

Sources on Thursday said that if the PKK does not heed Öcalan’s call and does not dissolve itself, it will have to “bear the consequences,” implying that new widespread counterterrorism operations may be on the cards.