Turkey - PKK

Kurdish Separatist group active in Turkey. Also known as the KGK. See summary

Recent articles:

upi.com No additional prisoners for PKK's Ocalan jail 05/24
guardian.co.uk Kurdish guards fear for jobs and lives when Turkey and PKK make peace 05/22
dw.de A Kurdish Spring in Syria 05/22
english.farsnews.com Former Deputy PM Warns of US, Israeli Plot to Disintegrate Iraq 05/22
huffingtonpost.com David L. Phillips: Remove the PKK From the Terror List 05/21
english.farsnews.com Iran Urges Respect for Iraq's Territorial Integrity after PKK Withdrawal from Turkey 05/21
voanews.com Turkish Peace Initiative with Kurds Meets Resistance 05/20
strategypage.com KURDISH WAR: The Threat From Syria And Iran 05/19
turkishweekly.net Charter panel to give convicts right to vote 05/17
upi.com Obama lauds Turkey's PKK initative 05/17
upi.com Iraq threatens Turkey peace plan with PKK 05/16
globalsecurity.org PKK Fighters Remain On Guard In Iraq 05/15
rand.org Turkey and Intervention in Syria 05/15
aina.org Syrian Oil Becomes Fault Line In War 05/15
aljazeera.com First PKK group arrives in Iraq under deal 05/14
voanews.com First Withdrawing Kurdish Rebels Reach Iraq 05/14
foxnews.com 1st Kurdish fighters enter Iraq from Turkey 05/14
reuters.com First Kurdish rebels arrive in Iraq under Turkey peace plan 05/14
dailystar.com.lb Iraq says entry of Kurdish fighters violation of sovereignty 05/14
vancouversun.com 1st Kurdish fighters enter Iraq in deal to end conflict in Turkey, despite Baghdad opposition 05/14
rferl.org First PKK Fighters From Turkey Arrive In Iraq 05/14
news.com.au Kurd fighters from Turkey arrive in Iraq 05/14
reuters.com First Kurdish rebels reach Iraq under Turkish peace plan 05/14
upi.com First PKK fighters arrive in Iraq 05/14
turkishpress.com Erdogan to meet US President Obama 05/14
turkishpress.com Cicek criticizes PACE’s definition of terrorists as activists 05/14
globalsecurity.org Iraq says entry of PKK militants violates its sovereignty 05/14
globalsecurity.org First PKK militants arrive in N Iraq 05/14
realclearworld.com Erdogan's Great Kurdish Gamble 05/14
aljazeera.com PKK mothers want to be reunited with children 05/14
aljazeera.com In Pictures: PKK fighters arrive in Iraq 05/14
dailystar.com.lb First Kurd rebels reach Iraq under Turkey truce 05/14
aljazeera.com Kurdish peace process: The latest phase of de-securitisation politics 05/14
ipsnews.net Despite Peaceful Withdrawal, PKK-Turkey Peace Remains Uncertain 05/13
upi.com Turkey sees no sign of PKK withdrawal 05/13
aina.org Entry of Kurdish Fighters Violates Iraq's Sovereignty 05/13
dw.de Kurdish rebels find safe haven in Iraq after Turkish truce 05/13
dailystar.com.lb Iraqi Kurds wary of PKK fighters from Turkey 05/12
english.farsnews.com Former PM: Baghdad Not to Allow PKK Undermine Security in Iraq, Neighbors 05/12
english.people.com.cn At least 40 killed, 100 injured in blasts on Turkish-Syrian border 05/11
dailytimes.com.pk Iraqi Kurds wary of PKK fighters coming from Turkey 05/11
bbc.co.uk PKK deal may worry Iran and Syria 05/10
upi.com Iraq says PKK militants can't settle in the country 05/10
aina.org PKK Withdrawal Worries Iraq 05/10
voanews.com Turkey Mulls Constitutional Reform in Light of Talks with Kurdish Rebels 05/10
turkishweekly.net Baghdad irked by PKK pullout from Turkey 05/10
vancouversun.com Iraqi Foreign Ministry says it rejects sheltering Turkey's PKK fighters in country's north 05/09
aljazeera.com Peace at the end of a long PKK struggle? 05/09
reuters.com Baghdad government says PKK not welcome in Iraq 05/09
france24.com Turkey: PKK rebel fighters begin retreat to Northen Iraq 05/09
yahoo.com Glint of a Mideast peace as Turkey-Kurd pact plays out 05/09
upi.com Kurdish militants reported leaving Turkey for Iraq 05/09
rferl.org Iraqi Government Says PKK Not Welcome 05/09
aljazeera.com Baghdad opposes PKK armed groups in Iraq 05/09
upi.com PKK move good for Turkey, EU envoy says 05/09
yahoo.com Iraq rejects offering shelter to PKK fighters 05/09
turkishweekly.net Turkish press review 05/09
turkishweekly.net PKK pullout from Turkey raises tensions 05/09
foxnews.com Official: PKK starts moving forces out of Turkey 05/08
debka.com PKK Kurdish rebel fighters begin withdrawing form Turkey 05/08
bbc.co.uk PKK rebels 'begin leaving Turkey' 05/08
turkishweekly.net Kurdish Rebels say Turkish army is endangering peaceful pullout 05/08
tamilguardian.com PKK accuses Turkish army of jeopardising withdrawal plan 05/08
turkishpress.com Turkish Press Review 05/08
nytimes.com Kurdish Rebels Begin Withdrawal From Turkey 05/08
english.farsnews.com Kurdish Envoy Rejects Claims about Iran's Offer of Military Aid to PKK 05/08
guardian.co.uk PKK begins to withdraw from Turkey 05/08
csmonitor.com PKK militants start withdrawal from Turkey, fueling optimism for peace process 05/08
voanews.com PKK Pullout from Turkey Raises Tensions 05/08
bbc.co.uk AUDIO: Kurdish rebels' 'progress' towards peace 05/08
france24.com TURKEY: Kurdish rebels begin critical pullout from Turkey 05/08
aljazeera.com PKK set to begin withdrawal from Turkey 05/08
upi.com Turkey monitoring PKK withdrawal 05/08
huffingtonpost.com PKK Rebels Start Withdrawal From Turkey, Officials Says 05/08
reuters.com Kurdish rebels begin Turkey withdrawal, fuelling peace hopes 05/08
grnlive.com Kurdish PKK begins withdrawal from Turkey in peace bid 05/08
rferl.org Kurdish Rebels Reportedly Start Turkey Pullout 05/08
ft.com PKK begins formal withdrawal from Turkey 05/08
globalsecurity.org Kurdish militants begin to pull out of Turkey: PKK 05/08
aljazeera.com German Kurds plan their return home 05/08
npr.org Kurdish Militants Begin Historic Withdrawal From Turkey 05/08
aljazeera.com PKK rebels begin withdrawal from Turkey 05/08
euronews.com Kurdish fighters leaving Turkey 05/08
sky.com Kurdish Militant PKK Begins Turkey Withdrawal 05/08
today.az Turkey sees PKK withdrawal as crucial issue 05/07
reuters.com Kurdish rebels say Turkish army is endangering peaceful pullout 05/07
upi.com Leave empty-handed, Erdogan tells PKK 05/07
guardian.co.uk Kurds dare to hope as PKK fighters' ceasefire with Turkey takes hold 05/07
aljazeera.com PKK pulls out as politics heats up in Turkey 05/07
aljazeera.com PKK fighters in Turkey to withdraw to Iraq 05/07
independent.co.uk After decades of war, can the Kurds finally find peace? 05/06
upi.com Turkey's diplomatic affairs please EU 05/06
upi.com Turkey: No security guarantees for PKK 04/19
turkishweekly.net Turkish Minister denies protocol with General Staff concerning PKK withdrawal 04/19
jamestown.org PKK Commanders Split with Imprisoned Kurdish Leader on Reconciliation with Ankara 04/19
turkishweekly.net Assoc. Prof. Özeren: "All viewpoints should be gathered in a rational platform" 04/18
turkishweekly.net Turkish press review 04/18
voanews.com Analysts See Chance for Peace in New PKK Overture 04/18
upi.com European Union upbeat on PKK issue in Turkey 04/18
turkishweekly.net The new security paradigm and a proactive foreign policy 04/16

Summary

Kurdistan is a term used to describe areas traditionally inhabited by members of the Kurdish ethnic group in eastern Turkey, northern Iraq, northwestern Iran, and northern Syria. The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), now known as the People's Congress of Kurdistan or Kongra-Gel (KGK) was formed on November 27, 1978, with the stated goals of claiming rights for the Kurdish minority and independence from Turkey. The group began an armed insurgency in 1984. It is considered a terrorist organization by the US Department of State.

In 1999, when its leader Abdullah Ocalan was captured, the PKK said it would proceed with peaceful tactics. In 2004, the group declared an end to the ceasefire.

Recently, Iran has been conducting military operations against the Iranian wing of the PKK, the PJAK. Syria, however, has been accused of harboring and supporting PKK members, which may be linked to deteriorated relations between the two countries following Turkey's criticism of Syria's response to internal dissent.