Why the PKK-Turkiye conflict persists despite Ocalan’s call?

Shafaq News/ Two months after Abdullah Ocalan urged his party to abandon armed struggle and dissolve itself in favor of political engagement, the conflict between Turkiye and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) shows no signs of abating.

In an Interview with Shafaq News Agency, Turkish political analyst Gok Oglo said that internal divisions within the PKK are the key reason behind the ongoing hostilities, pointing to a faction within the group determined to continue fighting Turkish forces.

Gok Oglo highlighted tensions between Ocalan and some PKK leaders based in the Qandil Mountains—on the Turkish-Iraqi-Iranian border—particularly over the issue of disarmament and other strategic matters.

“Ocalan appears to lack full influence over Kurdish ranks, which has led to splinter groups breaking away from the PKK in pursuit of their own goals,” Gok Oglo said.

He added that negotiations would remain meaningless unless Ocalan “demonstrates real control over his party through concrete actions.”

On March 1, the PKK announced a ceasefire in response to Ocalan’s historic February 27 call from his prison cell on Imrali Island, urging the group to end more than 40 years of armed conflict with the Turkish state.

The appeal drew international praise, with the White House calling it “a major development” that could advance peace in the volatile region and ease concerns among US allies in Turkiye regarding their partners in the fight against ISIS in northeastern Syria.