What to know about the latest effort to bring an end to Turkey's 40-year Kurdish conflict

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — The imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party has called on his organization to disarm and dissolve as part of a new effort to end 40 years of fighting between the state and the banned militant group.

The overture by Abdullah Ocalan is part of a peace effort at a time of heightened instability and fundamental changes reshaping the region. These include the reconfiguration of power in Syria after the toppling of President Bashar Assad, the weakening of the Hezbollah militant movement in Lebanon, and the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza — currently in a sometimes-precarious ceasefire.

The peace effort in Turkey was initiated in October by Devlet Bahceli, a firebrand ultranationalist who has usually opposed any concessions to Kurdish identity or rights.

Since then, the fall of Assad in a lightning rebel offensive has triggered intensified fighting between Turkish-backed forces and Kurdish groups in northern Syria that are viewed as an extension of the PKK.

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, who have controlled northeast Syria for the past decade, are now in negotiations with the new government in Damascus. While most former insurgent groups have agreed to dissolve and integrate into the new Syrian army, the SDF has refused so far.

What is the PKK?

The Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, has waged an armed insurgency against Turkey since 1984, initially with the aim of establishing a Kurdish state in the southeast of the country. Over time, the objective evolved into a campaign for autonomy and rights for Kurds within Turkey.

The conflict between militants and state forces, which has spread beyond Turkey’s borders into Iraq and Syria, has killed tens of thousands of people. The PKK is considered to be a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.

Who is Ocalan?

Abdullah Ocalan, who as a student of political science in Ankara became deeply involved in leftist movements, formed the PKK in 1978 as a Marxist organization. He fled to Syria in 1979, along with other PKK members, where he remained until 1998, when Syria expelled him under intense pressure from Turkey.

Ocalan was captured in Kenya in 1999 and imprisoned on Imrali island in the Sea of Marmara, where he remains to this day. His death sentence for treason was commuted to a life term in prison after Turkey abolished the death penalty.

The 75-year-old endures as a symbol for Kurdish independence and rights and continues to wield influence over the Kurdish movement, with past messages relayed through family members or lawyers resonating beyond Turkey, in Iraq and Syria.

Renewed effort for peace

In October, Bahceli, a close ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, suggested Ocalan could be granted parole if he renounces violence and disbands the PKK.

It was a major shift for the hardline politician who had previously strongly supported the state’s military action against the militant group and its affiliates in neighboring Syria and rejected any notion of negotiation.

Erdogan appears to have endorsed Bahceli's stance although he has refrained from directly addressing the peace initiative to prevent potential backlash against his administration.

In a message delivered through senior officials of the pro-Kurdish People's Equality and Democracy Party, or DEM, Ocalan called on the PKK leadership to take the decision to disband.

It was not immediately clear what concessions, if any, the Kurdish groups would get in return.

There is a mixed reaction among politicians and analysts to the peace effort. Some describe it it as a historic opportunity, while others strongly oppose any notion of leniency toward Ocalan or the PKK.

Analysts believe the PKK will heed Ocalan's call, but that some splinter groups may emerge.

Soon after Bahceli's announcement, the PKK claimed an attack on Turkey’s key aerospace company outside of Ankara that killed several people.

Past peace efforts

There have been several peace efforts between the Turkish state and the PKK over the years, including secret negotiations held in Oslo, Norway from 2009 until 2011. However, none have yielded results.

The last attempt to reach a peace deal took place between 2013 and 2015 with a series of talks between Turkish officials and Ocalan, who declared a ceasefire and withdrew fighters to bases in northern Iraq.

Turkish officials took steps to improve Kurdish rights, including allowing Kurdish-language broadcasts. The process collapsed in July 2015, after a series of violent attacks, including one by the Islamic State group that killed 33 pro-Kurdish activists.

Since then, Turkey has cracked down on its pro-Kurdish movement and has jailed thousands of people, including the former leader of the main pro-Kurdish political party, Selahattin Demirtas, over alleged links to the PKK.

Why now?

The latest peace effort comes at a time when Turkey and the Kurds are both seeking security to face the challenges in the Middle East.

However, some believe the main aim of the reconciliation effort is for Erdogan’s government to garner Kurdish support for a new constitution that would allow him to remain in power beyond 2028, when his term ends.

Bahceli has openly called for a new constitution, saying it was essential to keep Erdogan in power for Turkey’s future. Erdogan and Bahceli are reportedly seeking parliamentary support from the DEM.