Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned leader of Turkey's banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), has expressed his willingness to contribute to peace efforts between Turks and Kurds. In a statement released by the pro-Kurdish DEM party, Ocalan stated that he is prepared to play a positive role in the new peace paradigm supported by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and nationalist leader Devlet Bahceli.
Ocalan has been serving a life sentence on Imrali island near Istanbul since 1999, following his conviction for treason. The PKK, which has been fighting for an autonomous state in Turkey’s southeast since 1984, has been involved in a long-standing conflict that has resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of lives. The group is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies.
