Kalkan: PKK forces no longer pose a threat to Turkey's security

According to Kurdistan Press, Duran Kalkan, a senior PKK member, in a long interview with the Media Khabar network, evaluated the two-year peace and democratic society process, the measures taken by the Kurdish movement, and the steps that, according to him, the Turkish government should take at this stage.Kalkan considered the cessation of hostilities and the formation of a space for discussion on resolving the Kurdish issue and democratizing Turkey as the most important achievements of the past two years, and said that although the process could have gone further, the results achieved should not be ignored.

Steps taken by the PKK in the peace process

Referring to Abdullah Öcalan's call for "peace and a democratic society" on February 27, 2025, Kalkan said that in response to this call, the PKK declared a ceasefire on March 1 of that year in order to pave the way for the process to progress through dialogue and political struggle.

He added that the PKK then held its 12th Congress and made historic decisions about ending the armed struggle strategy and dissolving its organizational structure; however, the full implementation of these decisions was conditional on Öcalan's leadership and providing him with free conditions to live and work.Kalkan said: "This idea was put forward by Abdullah Ocalan, the decision was made by him and its implementation is only possible with his leadership. Only he can convince the members, forces and society to implement these decisions in practice."

According to him, 30 PKK members burned their weapons in a symbolic act on July 11, and measures were taken to reduce the possibility of conflict inside Turkey and in the border areas.

Kalkan added: "These practical measures continued in 2026. We withdrew all our armed forces from within Turkey's borders and withdrew the forces that could be exposed to conflict outside the borders."

PKK armed forces are at least 60 kilometers away from the border

Kalkan emphasized that there is no longer any armed force inside Turkey and along its borders that threatens Turkey's security.He said: “The Turkish and world public opinion should know that the PKK forces currently pose no threat to Turkey’s security. They are at least 60 kilometers from the border and there is no risk of conflict.”

Stating that from this point on, repeating the call for “complete disarmament” has no practical meaning, Kalkan added: “There is no armed force left to threaten Turkey. Repeating this is just a tool to exert pressure, prolong the process and prevent it from being implemented.”

He said that moving to the next stage requires Turkey to reach a level of democratization that can accommodate the Kurds and PKK-affiliated forces in a legal and political structure.

According to Kalkan, the existing laws and policies have not yet enabled the recognition of Kurdish identity, the resolution of the Kurdish issue and the participation of the movement’s forces in the political arena.Öcalan's Freedom and the Abolition of the Imrali Regime

Kalkan considered Abdullah Öcalan's physical freedom the first condition for the continuation of the process and said that Öcalan, as the architect of this process, must achieve conditions in which he can live and work freely.

He said: "The Imrali regime must be abolished. The path to democratic politics must be opened and a legal basis must be provided for the expansion of freedoms and the creation of a democratic environment."

Kalkan also called for the formation of a "Peace and Political Entry Commission" headed by Öcalan and emphasized that the doors of Imrali should be opened to journalists, academics and representatives of civil society.

He added: "Journalists and academics were supposed to go to Imrali and Öcalan could work; but compared to the past, no serious change has taken place."Party delegations visit him every one or two months and whenever the government wants, but even the minutes of these meetings are not made public."

Kalkan criticized the lack of clarity in the activities of the delegations and committees established within the framework of the law passed by the parliament, saying that the promises made about improving Öcalan's conditions and starting the committees' activities have not been fulfilled.