The Kurdish armed group, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), has announced it is laying down its arms and disbanding. The move followed a call in February by the group’s jailed leader, Abdullah Öcalan, for it to disband. The PKK initially aimed to create an independent homeland for Kurds, who account for about 20 percent of Turkey’s population. According to media reports, it has since moved away from its separatist goals, focusing instead on greater autonomy and expanded Kurdish rights. Founded in 1978, the PKK led an armed struggle primarily targeting Turkish military infrastructure, seeking greater recognition and independence for Kurdish communities in Turkey’s southeast.