Key Events in the Turkey-PKK Conflict Timeline

This article outlines five pivotal moments in the Turkey-PKK conflict, focusing on the formation of the PKK, the arrest of its leader Abdullah Ocalan, notable conflicts, peace negotiations, and recent political developments that shape the ongoing struggle between Turkey and Kurdish forces.

1. The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) was established in 1978 by students at Ankara University, driven by a Marxist-Leninist ideology and aimed at achieving Kurdish liberation through armed resistance. Abdullah Ocalan, a political science student, was appointed as its leader.

2. Following a military coup in Turkey in 1980, Ocalan and the PKK relocated to Syria and Lebanon. The PKK initiated an armed conflict against Turkish forces in 1984, targeting military installations and convoys, which initiated a violent response from Turkey, intensifying the hostilities in the Kurdish-majority southeast.

3. Ocalan was arrested in Kenya on February 15, 1999, and subsequently sentenced to death in Turkey, later reduced to life imprisonment in 2002 as part of EU-backed reforms aimed at abolishing the death penalty. He was placed in solitary confinement on Imrali island.

4. On March 21, 2013, during the celebration of Newroz, Ocalan urged the PKK to cease hostilities in a letter addressed to the group, aligning with peace negotiations facilitated by the pro-Kurdish HDP party and Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization in Oslo.

5. Tensions escalated in July 2015 following a bombing in Suruc, leading to a collapse of the ceasefire. Subsequently, the Turkish government launched military operations against PKK targets, while the PKK intensified urban warfare. Heightened government crackdowns on Kurdish politicians further strained relations, particularly post a failed coup in 2016.

In summary, the Turkey-PKK conflict has evolved significantly since the PKK’s inception in 1978. Key moments include Ocalan’s rise and arrest, the initiation of armed conflict, peace talks, and subsequent escalations in violence. Recent overtures from political factions towards Ocalan highlight the ongoing complexity of resolving this longstanding conflict.

Original Source: www.newarab.com