Ocalan is founder of Kurdish PKK and also author of its end
ABDULLAH Ocalan, jailed founder of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and an icon for many Kurds but a reviled terrorist for many Turks, is now at the heart of the biggest push for peace in over a decade.
Abdullah Ocalan, the founder of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and a symbol of the Kurdish struggle for autonomy, is now at the center of a major peace initiative. Ocalan, who has been serving a life sentence in solitary confinement since 1999, has played a key role in the recent push for peace, which has seen his fighters accept disarmament.
Turkish lawmakers recently approved a bill offering limited amnesty for certain PKK fighters, marking a significant step towards ending a conflict that has resulted in over 50,000 deaths. Despite being reviled by many Turks as a terrorist leader, Ocalan remains a revered figure among Kurds, often referred to as "Apo," or uncle, for his leadership and dedication to the cause.
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