Turkey passes law to dissolve PKK militant group

Turkey's parliament has voted to dissolve the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and grant amnesty to its members. Out of 562 MPs present, 468 voted in favor of the legislation. This formalizes a proposal drafted in February that aims to officially end the group's existence. The 40-year conflict between the PKK and the Turkish state came to an end when jailed leader Abdullah Öcalan called for the PKK to disarm and disband last year.

The exact fate of Öcalan, imprisoned since 1999, remains uncertain following the new law. The conflict resulted in over 40,000 casualties and spilled into neighboring Syria and Iraq, leaving a deep impact on Turkish society. Turkey considers the PKK its primary national security threat and has designated the group as a terrorist organization, alongside the EU and US.

PKK leaders based in northern Iraq's Kurdish region agreed to dissolve the organization last year, holding a symbolic weapons-burning ceremony. However, disarming all PKK-affiliated groups across Turkey, Syria, Iran, and Iraq poses a challenge. The group's dissolution process, including Öcalan's release, is contentious within Turkey, where he is blamed for the deaths of soldiers and civilians.

Thousands of individuals are already serving prison sentences for PKK-related activities. Founded in 1984 to establish an independent Kurdish state, the PKK also sought legal recognition and better rights for the Kurds, who constitute one-fifth of Turkey's population.