“Unless Leader Apo (Abdullah Öcalan) himself steps in and talks to the friends, nothing will happen with just a video call. If our Leader cannot talk to the organisation on a permanent basis, how will he convince them to lay down their arms?”
These words by Murat Karayılan, Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Executive Committee Member, form the core of the debate surrounding Turkey’s repeated calls for the PKK to disarm. In a recent interview on 6 February with Kurdish broadcasting Sterk TV, Karayılan elaborated on the conditions he deems necessary for any meaningful dialogue with Turkish State, touched upon the group’s advanced tactics, and stated that they remain prepared for both intensified conflict and potential negotiation for peace.
Karayılan repeatedly cited the PKK’s long history, referencing other Kurdish uprisings and emphasising that the conflict dates back a century. Though the interview primarily focused on disarmament and the PKK’s new warfare tactics, Karayılan also touched on ongoing confrontations in North and East Syria, praising local forces for resisting Turkish incursions. He expressed caution regarding regional moves by Turkey and other actors in Syria, suggesting that inclusivity and decentralisation were needed for broader stability.
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Karayılan began by placing the discussion within the larger historical context of what he calls the “International Conspiracy” and decades of Kurdish struggle. He accused global powers of collusion in delivering Öcalan into Turkish custody 26 years ago, on 15 February 1999. Although he acknowledged that past conspiracies have not fully succeeded in eliminating Öcalan’s ideology, Karayılan insisted that these pressures persist in different forms.
Referring to recent statements from Turkish government officials requesting that the PKK abandon weapons, Karayılan stressed the limitations of mere public calls or one-off messages:
“Unless Leader Apo himself steps in and talks to these friends, nothing will happen with just a video call. If our Leader cannot talk to this power on a permanent basis, how will he convince them to lay down their arms?”
He argued that Öcalan alone has the capacity to convene a PKK congress that could result in a collective decision. Karayılan stated that an ongoing engagement with Öcalan, rather than a short announcement, would be crucial to persuading those who have been ideologically committed to armed struggle.
Karayılan framed the PKK’s position as one seeking a genuine solution. He claimed that the Turkish state’s approach—allegedly continuing military attacks and arrests—has undermined any real trust. According to him, a mutual ceasefire and changed rhetoric would be necessary to establish a conducive climate for peace talks.
“We are not people who love the gun for its own sake; rather, we love freedom, democracy, and equal living. If they come about, then arms are no longer needed.”
However, Karayılan said the PKK remained open to peace negotiations, highlighting Öcalan’s potential role in forging a new framework for Kurdish-Turkish relations. He called on Turkish policymakers to adopt a strategic rather than a “tactical” stance, emphasising that a lasting peace would require sincerity and tangible steps.
Karayılan dedicated a significant portion of the interview to discussing what he called the PKK’s “tactical and technological breakthroughs”. He claimed that new techniques—both “underground” and “above ground”—have bolstered the organisation’s military capacities. According to Karayılan, many of the Turkish military’s key surveillance and drone technologies have been made “obsolete” by PKK counter-measures.
“We have also developed the ability to strike from afar, rebalancing a situation in which the Turkish Air Force previously had the sole advantage.”
He underscored that these developments have heightened the PKK’s readiness for war, especially if Turkish operations intensify.
Karayılan concluded by asserting that the PKK leadership has internally clarified its strategy: ready to continue armed resistance if necessary, but equally prepared for a new peace process—on the condition that Öcalan is free to engage in sustained dialogue with the organisation.
