The initiative launched by the People’s Alliance to achieve a terror-free Türkiye through ending PKK terrorism is proceeding as planned, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Friday.
“Türkiye is standing tall. It is holding the agenda in its hands. And the People’s Alliance is everything to Türkiye right now,” he told reporters in Istanbul’s Üsküdar district.
PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan in late February called on his group to lay down arms and dissolve in what would mark the end of more than four decades of the PKK’s campaign of terrorism targeting Türkiye.
The terror-free Türkiye initiative was launched last year by government ally Devlet Bahçeli. The Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) was a messenger for Öcalan in talks to realize the initiative. The PKK is expected to hold a “congress” this spring to announce its full compliance with Öcalan’s call.
However, the terrorist group has set conditions, including Öcalan’s release.
Ankara has so far rejected the demands, including the unilateral cease-fire announced by the group.
In its 40-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the U.S. and the European Union, has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, infants and the elderly.