The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) is a Kurdish militant and political organization founded in 1978 by Abdullah Öcalan and other Kurdish leftists in Turkey. It emerged from a context of Kurdish persecution and denial of cultural and political rights in Turkey and neighboring countries where Kurdish populations reside. The PKK initially espoused a Marxist-Leninist ideology, aiming to create an independent Kurdish state called Kurdistan through armed struggle against the Turkish government[1][4][5]. The PKK began its armed insurgency in 1984, targeting Turkish military and government forces in southeastern Turkey. This insurgency was driven by grievances over repression of Kurdish identity and human rights abuses. The conflict escalated into a long-running guerrilla war, with periods of ceasefire and negotiation attempts interspersed with renewed violence. PKK leader Öcalan was captured in 1999 and imprisoned, which led to a temporary ceasefire and attempts at peace talks with the Turkish government[2][5]. Despite negotiations, hostilities resumed in 2004 and intensified after 2015 following the collapse of a truce and retaliatory violence linked to regional conflicts, including attacks by ISIS. The Turkish government responded with major military operations targeting PKK bases in southeastern Turkey and northern Iraq, resulting in significant casualties and displacement[7]. Internationally, the PKK is designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, NATO, and the European Union due to its use of violence and attacks on civilian and military targets[4][6]. In 2025, the PKK announced its intention to disarm and dissolve, signifying a potential end to its decades-long insurgency. This followed calls by Öcalan for militants to lay down arms, though questions remain about the future of Kurdish political rights and peace in the region[7]. Overall, the PKK has played a central role in Kurdish nationalism and armed resistance in Turkey, shaping ongoing regional dynamics around ethnicity, state sovereignty, and conflict.