Timeline of the PKK’s Insurgency and Its Impact on Turkish-Kurdish Relations
The PKK, established by Abdullah Ocalan in 1974, has waged a lengthy insurgency against Turkey, aiming for Kurdish independence. Despite attempts at peace, including Ocalan’s calls for disarmament, violence persists. The conflict remains a crucial national security issue for Turkey, with recent military actions and international dynamics complicating the situation.
Abdullah Ocalan, the founder of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), made a significant appeal to the group to disarm in pursuit of a peace agreement with the Turkish state. Upon his capture in 1999 while returning to Turkey, Ocalan expressed his love for the country, emphasizing his willingness to serve it if necessary. Despite this, the PKK continues to pose a major national security challenge for Turkey.
In 1974, the PKK was established as a Marxist-Leninist guerrilla organization by Kurdish students under Ocalan’s leadership. By 1978, the group convened its first congress in Diyarbakir, committing to the goal of creating an independent Kurdistan in northeastern Turkey. The PKK subsequently gained military strength, establishing its first training camp in 1982 with support from the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).
The organization began its armed campaign in August 1984 with attacks in southeastern Turkey, resulting in the deaths of two soldiers. Over the following years, armed confrontations escalated, with the PKK utilizing bases in northern Iraq for refuge. In September 1998, Ocalan fled Syria following the Adana Agreement, leading to the relocation of PKK’s main headquarters to Iraq’s Qandil Mountains.
On February 15, 1999, Turkish special forces apprehended Ocalan in Kenya, subsequently transporting him to Turkey where he was tried and sentenced to death. This sentence was reduced to life imprisonment when Turkey abolished the death penalty in October 2002. Following his capture, the PKK declared a unilateral ceasefire, which ultimately ended in 2004.
In 2003, Turkey enacted reforms to enhance Kurdish rights as part of its efforts to join the European Union. These reforms permitted greater expressions of the Kurdish language, demonstrating a shift in Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s approach toward Kurdish issues. By 2010, clandestine negotiations occurred between Turkish officials and PKK representatives, although they ultimately collapsed.
During the summer of 2012, violence escalated, prompting Turkish authorities to arrest numerous Kurdish activists. By October of that year, discussions resumed between Ocalan and government representatives, coinciding with hunger strikes by imprisoned Kurdish activists. A ceasefire was announced by Ocalan on March 21, 2013, with an order for fighters to withdraw from Turkey.
The situation intensified in 2015 as the rise of ISIS in neighboring regions led to the emergence of the YPG as a fighting force against extremism, which Turkey views as an extension of the PKK. Ocalan called for disarmament in March 2015, but the PKK leadership did not comply, leading to the collapse of the ceasefire and a resurgence of violence in southeastern Turkey.
In June 2020, Turkey initiated Operations Claw-Eagle and Claw-Tiger in response to alleged PKK attacks, resulting in air and ground campaigns against the group in Iraq. This operation faced criticism from the Iraqi government for infringing on national sovereignty, but Turkey proceeded with military actions. In February 2021, a failed rescue mission for 13 captives resulted in their deaths, further straining relations between Ankara and Washington.
By July 2024, the Iraqi government declared a prohibition on the PKK and required it to be designated as the “banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party” in all official communications, signifying a definitive stance from Baghdad on the PKK. However, Iraq has not categorized the PKK as a terrorist organization. In October 2024, the PKK claimed responsibility for an attack on a defense company near Ankara, resulting in multiple casualties.
The timeline of the PKK’s insurgency highlights the complex and enduring conflict between the group and the Turkish state over four decades. Key events, from Ocalan’s capture to the latest military operations, illustrate the ongoing volatility of the situation. Despite various attempts at peace and reform, the group’s actions, alongside the Turkish government’s responses, continue to shape the conflict’s trajectory.
Original Source: www.thenationalnews.com
