PKKs

PKKs commonly refers to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (Partiya Karkerên Kurdistanê, PKK) and its affiliated groups. The organization is a Kurdish militant and political movement that emerged in the 1970s in Turkey, with the aim of achieving greater autonomy or independence for Kurds within Turkey and for Kurdish regions more broadly.

Its ideology was originally Marxist-Leninist, oriented toward a socialist transformation of society and national self-determination for Kurds. Over time, the movement incorporated elements of democratic confederalism and emphasized Kurdish cultural rights, language, and self-governance as part of a broader political project advocated by its leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has been imprisoned since 1999.

The PKK launched an armed insurgency against the Turkish state in 1984, initiating a decades-long conflict that has caused significant casualties and displacement on both sides. It has operated across Turkey and in Kurdish-populated areas of neighboring regions, and it has maintained connections with various Kurdish groups beyond Turkey's borders, including informal networks in Europe and the Middle East.

Designations and status: the PKK is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, the European Union, and several other countries. As a result, it faces international sanctions and counter-insurgency efforts. The group has been involved in periods of ceasefire and formal peace talks, interspersed with renewed violence and military operations. The PKK's role in regional politics is complex, intersecting with Kurdish political movements, state security policies, and broader regional conflicts.