In a recent interview, Abdullah Öcalan’s lawyer and Green Left Party member Newroz Uysal shared insights into their last contact with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader. “From the beginning of our discussion, Öcalan underscored the potential for conflict, suggesting that thousands could lose their lives, leading to significant destruction and economic crises,” Uysal said. Öcalan was assertive in his belief, stating, “If given the opportunity, I could end the potential for conflict within a week.”
This last meeting, held exactly 4 years ago on 7 August 2019, coincided with a critical juncture in regional politics. “Between 5 and 7 August, US military officials were in Turkey, primarily to determine special security zones in North and East Syria, specifically in Rojava,” Uysal explained. On the day of their meeting, an anticipated agreement between the US and Turkish officials was set to be unveiled.
Following their discussion, it was publicly disclosed that the US and Turkish officials had reached an agreement. This led to invasion attacks in North and East Syria, particularly in areas like Gire Spi (Tal Abyad), Qamishlo (Qamishli), and Serekaniye (Ras al-Ayn). “Öcalan’s call on 7 August, both by the state and the democratic public, was not genuinely evaluated or responded to, leading to the onset of a new conflict phase,” Uysal said. The subsequent intensification of the PKK leader’s isolation in prison also indicated escalating war conditions and a mounting sense of resolution.
