PKK / Kurdish Question
player
After 40 years and 40,000 deaths, the Kurdish militant leader told his fighters to disarm - while the state kept arresting Kurdish politicians.
Who they are
The PKK, a Kurdish armed movement founded in 1978, and the broader Kurdish question in Turkey.
What they do
It's a long-running Kurdish insurgency and the fragile peace process around it.
How it works
Since its 1984 armed campaign began, the conflict has killed about 40,000 people; there are 15-20 million Kurds in Turkey. In March 2025 the imprisoned leader Ocalan called on followers to lay down arms and dissolve the PKK, and a ceasefire was declared - but the state kept mass-detaining DEM Party politicians, and in Syria its 2024 Operation Dawn of Freedom displaced 100,000 Kurds.
Why it matters
The engine highlights the contradiction: the state talks peace while simultaneously cracking down, leaving the process fragile.
The engine's record — word for word
Founded 1978, armed insurgency since 1984. ~40,000 deaths. 15-20M Kurds in Turkey. March 2025: Ocalan called followers to lay down arms and dissolve PKK from prison. Ceasefire declared. But state continues mass detentions of DEM Party politicians (successor to HDP). In Syria: Operation Dawn of Freedom (2024) displaced 100,000 Kurds. Turkey views SDF/YPG as PKK extension. Peace process fragile — state talks peace while cracking down.
Follow the trail
Walk this on the live map →