The Kurdish militant group PKK announced Monday that it is disbanding and renouncing armed conflict as part of a new peace initiative with Turkey, ending four decades of hostilities. The decision by the PKK, or Kurdistan Workers’ Party, promises to end one of the longest insurgencies in the Middle East and could have significant impact in Turkey, Syria and Iraq. It was announced by the Firat News Agency, a media outlet close to the group, days after the PKK convened a party congress in northern Iraq. In February, PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, who has been imprisoned on an island near Istanbul since 1999, urged his group to convene a congress and formally decide to disband and disarm. The call by Ocalan, 76, who continues to wields significant influence in the Kurdish movement despite his 25-year imprisonment, marked a pivotal step toward ending the decades-long conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives since the 1980s. Building on the momentum, the PKK announced a unilateral ceasefire on March 1 but attached conditions, including the creation of a legal framework for peace negotiations. The conflict between Turkey and the PKK has spilled over into northern Iraq and northern Syria, with Turkey carrying out numerous incursions into the neighboring regions. The PKK is listed as a terror group by Turkey and its Western allies. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed the PKK’s latest announcement, saying it would lead to stronger security and regional peace. “We have crossed another critical threshold in the process toward a terror-free Turkey,” he said. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the PKK announcement, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. “This decision, if implemented, represents another important step towards the peaceful resolution of a long-standing conflict.” PKK says group has completed its ‘historical mission’ In a statement carried by Firat, the PKK announced its decision to end its “organizational structure” and suggested that its armed struggle has successfully challenged policies that sought to suppress Kurdish rights. The congress assessed that the PKK’s struggle had “brought the Kurdish issue to the point of resolution through democratic politics, thus completing its historical mission,” according to the statement. “As a result, activities carried out under the name ‘PKK’ were formally terminated,” the statement said. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan described the decision as “historic,” but said the government would closely monitor the steps the group takes. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani said the peace agreement “will also contribute to the stability of the region.” Turkey says decision should apply to all PKK affiliates Erdogan said the declaration should apply to all PKK-affiliated groups: “We consider this announcement to encompass all of the organization’s branches, including those in northern Iraq, Syria and Europe.” Kurdish fighters in Syria have ties to the PKK and have been involved in intense fighting with Turkish-backed forces there. The leader of the U.S.-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces previously said Ocalan’s call for a dissolution does not apply to his group in Syria. The group then reached an agreement with the central government in Damascus for a nationwide ceasefire and its merger into the Syrian army. Details of the PKK’s peace initiative have not been made public. The future of its fighters remains uncertain, including whether they may be relocated to third countries. Some analysts have suggested the Kurdish movement […]