Bahceli’s loyalty call to Ocalan met with rejection from Syria

WISE NEWS PRESS / ANKARA, TURKIYE

Representatives of the PKK/PYD in Syria and Europe have officially rejected MHP leader Devlet Bahceli’s call for loyalty to Abdullah Ocalan, signaling a firm refusal to surrender or lay down arms.

The rejection comes at a critical juncture for Ankara’s proposed "solution process," as militant leaders prioritize constitutional recognition and territorial control in Northern Syria over direct orders from the imprisoned PKK founder. Recent statements from group representatives suggest that the gap between Ankara’s expectations of disarmament and the reality on the ground remains wider than initially estimated by political observers.

Accusations of coordination in Syria

Salih Muslim, a senior member of the PKK/PYD's joint presidency council, recently accused Turkey of coordinating with the Damascus government to create "chaos" in Northern Syria. Muslim claimed that villages in Deir Hafir are being targeted by artillery fire and emphasized that the area remains a strategic stronghold that the SDF is unlikely to abandon.

According to Muslim, the current situation is chaotic, and the group intends to defend its positions against what he described as Turkish-backed "gangs" attacking Aleppo. These comments directly counter the narrative presented in the Turkish Parliament, where calls were made for "loyalty to leader Abdullah Ocalan" to facilitate a peaceful resolution.

Constitutional demands and the SDF status

Mizgin Ehmed, a prominent European representative of the group, also addressed the issue, claiming that the Turkish state is attempting to stall the process for its own interests. Ehmed emphasized that the primary issue is constitutional, stating that the Kurdish people must have their existence recognized at a constitutional level within Syria.

"The Turkish state asks the SDF and groups in Europe to disarm immediately after weapons were supposed to be laid down," Ehmed noted. She further asserted that Abdullah Ocalan did not explicitly instruct the SDF to disarm, but rather assigned them the role of being "defenders of the people." This sentiment highlights a significant defiance against Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s calls for the SDF to integrate and disarm, which the group interprets as a reflection of Ankara's fear of a permanent Kurdish status in Syria.

Military self-defense and the manifesto effect

The group maintains that "self-defense" must continue, citing past conflicts as a reason for their ongoing armed presence. Ehmed argued that while Turkish drone strikes on civilian infrastructure in Rojava have paused since late February, the state continues to support certain tribal leaders and groups to fight against them.

This rigid stance from the organization's components suggests that the "loyalty" expected by Turkish political leaders is not translating into the desired surrender. For those led to believe that all components of the PKK would lay down their arms following a call from Imrali, the recent rhetoric from Syria and Europe serves as a definitive rebuttal, indicating that the path to a sustainable peace remains fraught with ideological and territorial hurdles.

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