PKK dissolution may signal readiness for political dialogue — Dmitry Bridzhe

Speaking with Alpha News, Turkologist Dmitry Bridzhe commented on the reports that the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) announced its dissolution and the end of its armed struggle against Turkey.

“Of course, May 12 marked a historic turning point in Middle Eastern security policy. The Kurdistan Workers’ Party, PKK, recognized as a terrorist organization in Turkey, the United States and the European Union, officially announced its self-dissolution. This decision was unexpected and, of course, a historic step that could affect the entire architecture of regional stability. The PKK has waged an armed struggle for Kurdish autonomy for over four decades, becoming a symbol of national self-resistance for part of the Kurdish population and, at the same time, a constant source of tension for the Turkish state. Over the past few years, Turkey has consistently increased military pressure, conducting cross-border operations in Iraq and Syria, using high-tech intelligence and anti-PKK strategies. It is possible that the exhaustion of the PKK amid military losses and internal divisions became one of the reasons for such a radical decision,” Bridzhe said.

According to the expert, the PKK’s dissolution may be an attempt to signal readiness for political dialogue.

“At the same time, we cannot ignore the international context; the world is entering an era of rethinking conflicts and focusing on political processes, so, of course, the announcement of the dissolution of the PKK itself may be an attempt to demonstrate the readiness of a part of the Kurdish movement for a new format of struggle not through weapons, but through political dialogue and human rights activities. This may also be a strategic step to establish a new center of Kurdish political mobilization,” Bridzhe emphasized.