Fall of Assad: The end of the PKK?

This report examines the possible consequences of Assad’s fall on the PKK and the broader Kurdish movement in the region.

PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, center, surrounded by representatives of the pro-Kurdish DEM party, in Imrali prison (Turkey), February 27, 2025. (DEM PARTY / AFP)

Öcalan’s call for disarmament

“All groups must lay down their arms and the PKK must dissolve,” ordered Abdullah Öcalan, the founder and historical leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). This…