CURRENTLY ON AIR ⇒
  • Your World Today, Mufti Yusuf Moosagie
    Friday, 5:05 pm - 6:00 pm
    [ - ]

feedback@radioislam.org.za

logo


((( Listen Live )))))
Radio Islam Logo


PKK’s Surprise Disbandment Signals Hope — But Skepticism Remains Amid Turkey-Kurd Tensions

Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za
3-minute read
13 May 2025 | 11:27 CAT

A demonstrator holds a picture of jailed Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan during a rally in Diyarbakir, Turkiye, on February 27, 2025 [Sertac Kayar/Reuters]

In what could mark a turning point in Turkey’s decades-long conflict with the Kurdish population, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has announced it is preparing to disband. The decision follows a key party congress in northern Iraq and forms part of a new peace initiative with Ankara.

The announcement, made via the Ferhat news agency, is being met with cautious optimism. Speaking to Radio Islam International, Journalist Frѐdericke Geerdink explains that while the news is momentous, it isn’t entirely unexpected. “The signs were there since October,” she said, referring to unusual interactions between anti-Kurdish politicians and Kurdish lawmakers in the Turkish parliament. “It shocked people. Normally, they wouldn’t even look at them.”

The jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan reportedly initiated the move. “He urged the party to not only end the armed struggle but dissolve itself entirely,” Geerdink said. The PKK has declared ceasefires in the past, but this appears to be its most definitive gesture toward a peaceful resolution.

Still, skepticism lingers. “People in Kurdistan are wary,” Geerdink noted. “The government has failed to deliver in the past, even when the PKK showed goodwill. Some believe President Erdogan’s motives are tied to his ambitions to change the constitution and extend his presidency.”

If successful, the move could benefit all. “Everybody wins—the Kurds, Turkish civilians, and future generations,” she added. The conflict has claimed lives since 1984.

However, the process is far from over. “There’s no concrete timeline,” Geerdink said. “It depends on political will. The PKK says, ‘we’re ready’, but is the government?”

Öcalan remains a central figure in the peace process. His supporters compare his release to Nelson Mandela’s in South Africa, symbolising resolution and reconciliation.

But without real reforms, fears persist. “If the root Kurdish issue isn’t resolved, disarmed fighters may return to violence. A democratic solution is the only path forward,” Geerdink concluded.

The world watches closely as one of the longest-running armed struggles in modern history approaches a possible end.

Listen to the full interview on Sabaahul Muslim with Moulana Sulaimaan Ravat and Journalist Frѐdericke Geerdink.

ADVERTISE HERE

Prime Spot!!!

Contact:
advertisingadmin@radioislam.co.za 

Related Articles

Dr Taskeen Fathima Docrat: Researching Rooibos

Dr Taskeen Fathima Docrat: Researching Rooibos

Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za 28 August 2025 3-minute read A scientist turning a proudly South African brew into a weapon against one of the world’s toughest diseases. Dr Taskeen Fathima Docrat from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology is leading...

read more
The Middle East Report

The Middle East Report

Sameera Casmod | sameerac@radioislam.co.za 29 August 2025 | 11:41 CAT 3-minute read Gaza ceasefire mediators have diverging objectives While Qatar and Egypt have have persuaded Hamas to accept the month-old ceasefire proposal, the United States and Israel have...

read more
The Media Lens

The Media Lens

28 August 2025 | 10:25 CAT 2-minute read Silencing the Truth: Gaza Journalists Under Fire In today’s segment of the Media Lens, Ibrahim Deen delivered a searing critique of how Western media coverage is quietly facilitating the erosion of press freedom—and, with it,...

read more
The Asia Pacific Report

The Asia Pacific Report

FORUM-ASIA reports shrinking civic space across Asia as HRD crackdowns increase 28 August 2025 | 09:15 CAT 2-minute read In its sixth biennial Defending in Numbers: Reclaiming Civic Space, Unbroken Voices report, released on 14 July 2025, FORUM-ASIA delivers a stark...

read more
SASSA to Roll Out Biometric System to Curb Fraud

SASSA to Roll Out Biometric System to Curb Fraud

Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za 3-minute read | 27 August 2025 | 15:35 CAT The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) is set to implement a new Beneficiary Biometric Enrollment System at all its offices starting 1 September 2025, in a bid to strengthen...

read more
SA sees surge in political party registrations

SA sees surge in political party registrations

27 August 2025 | 10:10 CAT 2-minute read South Africa’s political landscape is becoming increasingly crowded, with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) confirming that the country now has 472 registered political parties — the highest number in its history....

read more

Subscribe to our Newsletter

0 Comments