Capitals: Europe and the Arabs - Agencies
Reactions varied among Kurds in Iraq to the announcement of a ceasefire between the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the Turkish state, as the move was met with cautious welcome from some and skepticism from others.
The announcement, which was issued on Saturday, represents a major shift in the course of the four-decade conflict between the armed party and Turkey, and came only two days after the party's imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan, called for disarmament. According to what was published by the European News Network website in Brussels "Euronews" today, Sunday, it added that in the city of Sulaymaniyah, with a Kurdish majority in eastern Iraq, some saw the decision as an opportunity to achieve regional peace. Najmuddin Baha al-Din, a resident of the city, described what happened as a historic moment, indicating that it reflects Ocalan's leadership and responsibility.
He added: "This is not the first time that the Kurdistan Workers' Party has stopped the war and called for peace, but the difference this time is that Turkey and President Erdogan have begun to realize the necessity of this after 40 years of conflict." But others expressed doubts about the circumstances of the decision-making process, believing that Ocalan, who has been held in a Turkish prison since his arrest in 1999, may not be able to make independent decisions.

Awat Rashid, a resident of Sulaymaniyah, asked: "They put him between four walls and gave him a piece of paper to write on, then showed it on TV, how reliable can that be?"

As for the activist Siddiq Muhammad, he considered the ceasefire a complex step that goes beyond the two parties, but he acknowledged its impact on the Kurdish street, saying: "There is no doubt that achieving peace in Turkey is difficult for both Kurds and Turks, but this step caused an earthquake among the Kurds here.

He added: "We should not see it as a complete surrender, there is a time for everything. “Let’s hope this is the beginning of an end to the war and peace.” The development comes amid major changes in the region, including the restructuring of power in neighboring Syria following the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad. The armed conflict between Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has killed tens of thousands since it began in 1984, and the announcement represents the first glimmer of hope since peace talks between the two sides collapsed in the summer of 2015.