In early May 2025, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) held its 12th Congress in northern Iraq and announced it would dissolve its organizational structure and end its armed struggle. This unprecedented declaration – effectively disbanding the PKK after 40+ years of insurgency – ignited intense public reactions and debates across Turkeyreuters.comreuters.com. All segments of Turkish … Read more
The mood is calm, not much excitement, but this is historic in any case. The PKK’s decision to disband after four decades of conflict represents a potential turning point in Turkish-Kurdish relations and regional stability. While the announcement has been met with cautious optimism from various stakeholders, there is widespread acknowledgment that this is just … Read more
It is funny that I could not find a suitable image for this post. An image that includes Öcalan or PKK imagery may be risky if the negotiations turn sour; the AI produced some fictional images where the Turkish and PKK flags were of equal size, which may trigger nationalist reactions. I decided to publish … Read more
I did not have the honor of meeting Mr. Önder, who died after 18 days in intensive care. Despite a lifelong struggle, days of torture and imprisonment, he was not trapped in ressentiment. That’s how I will remember him. Both the Turkish and Kurdish opposition miss an irreplaceable person. This is a (deepl-translated) letter to … Read more
Mr. Önder is going through a life-threatening heart issue at the moment, and as one of the key persons in ongoing peace negotiations with the PKK, this might even be endangering the process. What I like about him is his resourcefulness, positivity, and leadership in many critical situations. Sadly, his lifelong hardships have taken a … Read more
As of March 23, 2025, the Turkish government has appointed trustees to 13 municipalities since the March 31, 2024 local elections. Below is the updated list, including the latest appointment in Şişli Municipality: Updated List of Trustee Appointments Hakkari Municipality (June 3, 2024): DEM Party Mayor Mehmet Sıddık Akış was replaced by Hakkari Governor Ali … Read more
We live through exciting days, but I feel like PKK’s announcement did not get adequate coverage among the regional and global developments. Since most of the negotiations were secret, we do not know much, but I am glad to hear this anyway! Öcalan’s call got a response from his organizationç The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) … Read more
I will be following this development closely in the next days… PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan called on the group to lay down arms in a historic statement on February 27, 2025. In a message read by a delegation from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, Öcalan urged the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to … Read more
Here is a summary of what happened in a day: DEM Party MPs Sırrı Süreyya Önder and Pervin Buldan, who met with PKK leader Öcalan after the process started with the call of MHP leader Bahçeli, started to meet with political parties together with Ahmet Türk, the mayor of Mardin province Ahmet Türk. The DEM … Read more
It looks like the Axis of Resistance lost an important member. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has left Syria. The Russian Foreign Ministry has confirmed that Assad has stepped down from his presidential post and departed the country[4][5]. This development comes amid a rapid advance by opposition forces who have seized control of Damascus, the capital … Read more
That’s just sad. Probably some blackmailing moves to force the opposition to a constitutional change… On November 4, 2024, the Turkish government took action to remove three elected pro-Kurdish mayors from office in southeastern Turkey, replacing them with state-appointed officials[1][2][3]. This move has significant political implications and has drawn attention to the ongoing tensions between … Read more
Just as we were getting happy with a possible peace process, a major coup added to the new arrests of Kurdish politicians, Mr Özer is a notable personality of Kurdish origin, and he was elected through CHP ranks. I suspect he is a victim of behind the door struggles within the state circles. Ahmet Özer, … Read more
Right after the talk of a new peace process, the terror attacks happen. We do not know the details yet! A few hours ago, a terrorist attack targeted the headquarters of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) in the Kahramankazan district near Ankara, Turkey. The incident resulted in the deaths of four individuals and injuries to … Read more
A new Kurdish peace process is on the way. MHP (Nationalist Movement Party) leader Devlet Bahçeli made some significant statements about PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan during his party’s group meeting today. Here are the key points: Bahçeli called for Öcalan’s isolation conditions to be lifted, suggesting that Öcalan could speak in the Turkish Grand National … Read more
The unthinkable happened, and the nationalist MHP leader shook hands with DEM deputies. I suspect that after the Sinan Ateş murder, MHP was blackmailed into accepting a possible rapprochement. This may, in turn, be related to new constitution debates. A new constitution may allow Erdoğan to be elected president again. An ‘event’ and afterwards: The handshake … Read more