Why has the PKK chosen to give up the armed struggle? | DW News

After four decades of fighting and the deaths of as many as 50,000 people, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) says its war is over. The group announced the move just days after it held a party congress in northern Iraq. The PKK was set up to create an independent socialist state for Kurds on the territory southeastern Turkey. It launched an armed struggle against the state in 1984 and has since been declared a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union, and the United States. Turkey captured PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan in 1999. He's been held in captivity since then. Earlier this year he called on the group to end the struggle. And the PKK announced a ceasefire in March. Reactions to the move have been positive. The European Union called on all parties to seize the moment and launch a credible peace process. Leaders in Syria and Iraq have also welcomed the news. Both countries have been affected by the insurgency. The move is seen as a major win for Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. 00:00 Kurdish militant group PKK disbands 03:45 Asli Aydintasbas, Turkey analyst, Brookings Institution 12:40 Dorian Jones, DW Correspondent #pkk #turkey For more news go to: http://www.dw.com/en/ Follow DW on social media: ►Instagram:   / dwnews   ►TikTok:   / dwnews   ►Facebook:   / deutschewellenews   ►Twitter:   / dwnews   Für Videos in deutscher Sprache besuchen Sie:    / dwdeutsch   Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/user/deutsche...