Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli reignited political debate on Tuesday by calling for a renewed appeal from PKK founder Abdullah Öcalan to the Syrian Democratic Forces to disarm. Speaking during his party’s first session of the legislative year, Bahçeli said Turkey should pursue a national dialogue to achieve what he described as a “Terror-Free Turkey.” He proposed sending a delegation to İmralı Island, where Öcalan is imprisoned, to receive the latest messages firsthand.
Bahçeli stressed that while the PKK had disbanded and laid down arms following the February 27 declaration and subsequent events, affiliated groups like the SDF and YPG in Syria had not complied. He urged a renewed call from the PKK leadership to align with the March 10 Agreement between the SDF and Damascus, which he said was intended to promote political stability and Kurdish inclusion in Syria. Bahçeli also expressed concern over the exclusion of Kurdish-majority regions from Syria’s recent parliamentary elections, calling it a step backward. He concluded by reaffirming support for revising the İmralı statement to reflect new political realities and expand its impact.
His remarks came one day before Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani’s scheduled visit to Ankara for talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. The visit follows recent negotiations in Damascus between the SDF and the Syrian Interim Government aimed at implementing the March 10 Agreement and stabilizing northern Syria. The talks occurred shortly after deadly clashes in Aleppo’s Kurdish neighborhoods, where government forces launched artillery and drone strikes, prompting a fragile ceasefire. Analysts say the convergence of these events points to a pivotal moment in shaping the future of Syria’s Kurdish regions and Ankara’s evolving role in the process.
Bahçeli stressed that while the PKK had disbanded and laid down arms following the February 27 declaration and subsequent events, affiliated groups like the SDF and YPG in Syria had not complied. He urged a renewed call from the PKK leadership to align with the March 10 Agreement between the SDF and Damascus, which he said was intended to promote political stability and Kurdish inclusion in Syria. Bahçeli also expressed concern over the exclusion of Kurdish-majority regions from Syria’s recent parliamentary elections, calling it a step backward. He concluded by reaffirming support for revising the İmralı statement to reflect new political realities and expand its impact.
His remarks came one day before Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani’s scheduled visit to Ankara for talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. The visit follows recent negotiations in Damascus between the SDF and the Syrian Interim Government aimed at implementing the March 10 Agreement and stabilizing northern Syria. The talks occurred shortly after deadly clashes in Aleppo’s Kurdish neighborhoods, where government forces launched artillery and drone strikes, prompting a fragile ceasefire. Analysts say the convergence of these events points to a pivotal moment in shaping the future of Syria’s Kurdish regions and Ankara’s evolving role in the process.
