Turkey’s Offer to Jailed Terrorist Leader to End Conflict Raises Question of Timing

The unexpected proposal by Turkey’s leadership may have more to do with domestic politics than the fight against terrorism, some observers suggest.

Turkish security forces stand behind barricades as protesters gather at a rally organized by the pro-Kurdish Equality and Democracy Party, dubbed "Freedom Rally Against Isolation,'' against the continued isolation of imprisoned Kurdistan Workers' Party founder Abdullah Ocalan, in Diyarbakir, Turkey, on Oct. 13, 2024. Ilyas Akengin/AFP via Getty Images

News Analysis

As tensions soar in the Middle East, Turkey appears to be nursing hopes of ending its perennial conflict with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has long been considered a terrorist group by Ankara, Brussels, and Washington.