ISTANBUL, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) declared a ceasefire with Türkiye last week, following a call from their imprisoned leader Abdullah Ocalan for disarmament and dissolution, marking a significant shift in their stance after decades of armed conflict.

Additionally, the PKK expressed its willingness to convene a congress to discuss its future, with a focus on disarmament and political resolution, but only if Ocalan is physically present.

With such a move, the 40-year-long insurgency is likely to come to an end, though experts caution that challenges remain, including Ocalan's influence over the group and its complex international network.

"This ceasefire, if it holds, could signal the beginning of a long-awaited peace process, ending decades of conflict," Baris Doster, an academic with Istanbul-based Marmara University, told Xinhua.

Ocalan, who founded the PKK in 1978, has been held in prison on Imrali Island in the Marmara Sea off Istanbul since 1999.

"How much control does Ocalan, the leader of the PKK, actually have over the group?" Doster asked. "Does he still have the influence, the ability to direct and manage the organization, as he did 25 years ago?"

He further highlighted the complexity of the PKK's structure, noting that its involvement in illegal activities and international connections may complicate the prospects for a genuine peace process.

The government's ongoing initiative to end the long-standing PKK insurgency, which has claimed over 40,000 lives, led to this latest effort. However, it was not the first attempt to resolve the issue. Previous efforts, such as the Kurdish Opening in 2009 and the Solution Process in 2013, aimed to address the conflict through negotiations but collapsed due to continued violence by the PKK and public opposition.

According to Doster, there are notable differences compared to the previous peace process, marked by distinct dynamics.

"Looking at this peace process, a new structure of persuasion has emerged. Let's see how this entire process will unfold and progress in the coming days," he remarked.

Mesut Yegen, a political scientist, said that most likely, the process will depend on what the PKK will gain in return.

"The PKK is not an organization that would suddenly say, 'I am dissolving the organization'," Yegen was quoted as saying on KARAR, an online news portal.

"Ocalan is also not a figure who would make such a call. He knows the dynamics and tendencies of the organization well. Therefore, there must have been a framework for negotiations," he said.

The PKK is considered a terrorist group by Türkiye, the United States, and the European Union. Enditem

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