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The jailed leader of Kurdish rebels fighting Turkey, Abdullah Ocalan, has called for a truce after years of war.
Ocalan also urged his fighters to withdraw from Turkey, in a message read out during Kurdish New Year celebrations in the city of Diyarbakir.
The truce call follows months of peace talks between his PKK forces and the Turkish state.
More than 40,000 people have died in the 30-year fight for an ethnic Kurdish homeland in Turkey's south-east.
Several previous ceasefire attempts have failed.
The PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) leader has been in Turkish custody since his capture in Kenya in 1999.
Tens of thousands of people gathered to hear Ocalan's announcement in the mainly Kurdish city of Diyarbakir. It was read out to the crowd by two MPs in Kurdish and Turkish.
Ocalan has been in jail since 1999
"Today I start a new process witnessed by millions of people," Ocalan said, as reported by Turkey's Hurriyet newspaper. "The period of democratic rights, freedom and equality starts.
"Let us silence the weapons. The bloodshed of the Turkish and Kurdish people will end. This is a process whereby Anatolian and Kurdish communities can live together peacefully.
"Lay down your weapons and exit [Turkish] borders. We are shifting from armed struggle to democratic struggle."
News that Ocalan was about to make an announcement was communicated by Kurdish politicians who visited him earlier this week at the prison where he is being held on the island of Imrali.
Ocalan had said his declaration would be "historic".
In February the PKK leader called for prisoners to be released by both sides.
Continue reading the main story
The PKK
The PKK took up arms against the Turkish state in 1984, demanding greater autonomy for Turkey's Kurds, who are thought to comprise up to 20% of the population
Since then, some 40,000 people have died in the conflict
It is regarded by Turkey, the US and European Union as a terrorist organisation, because of its attacks on Turkish security forces and civilians
The PKK freed eight Turkish soldiers and officials it had held captive in northern Iraq for up to two years.
Ocalan move?
The PKK launched its armed campaign in 1984 and is regarded by Turkey, the US and EU as a terrorist organisation. Last year saw some of the heaviest fighting in decades.
The organisation rolled back on its demands for an independent Kurdish state in the 1990s, calling instead for more autonomy.
Reports say the PKK wish list now includes greater constitutional and linguistic rights for Kurds, as well as an easing of pressure on Kurdish activists.
The government has also not dismissed speculation that Ocalan could be moved to house arrest, the BBC's James Reynolds in Istanbul reports.
BBC News - Turkey Kurds: PKK chief Ocalan calls for ceasefire
Ocalan also urged his fighters to withdraw from Turkey, in a message read out during Kurdish New Year celebrations in the city of Diyarbakir.
The truce call follows months of peace talks between his PKK forces and the Turkish state.
More than 40,000 people have died in the 30-year fight for an ethnic Kurdish homeland in Turkey's south-east.
Several previous ceasefire attempts have failed.
The PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) leader has been in Turkish custody since his capture in Kenya in 1999.
Tens of thousands of people gathered to hear Ocalan's announcement in the mainly Kurdish city of Diyarbakir. It was read out to the crowd by two MPs in Kurdish and Turkish.
Ocalan has been in jail since 1999
"Today I start a new process witnessed by millions of people," Ocalan said, as reported by Turkey's Hurriyet newspaper. "The period of democratic rights, freedom and equality starts.
"Let us silence the weapons. The bloodshed of the Turkish and Kurdish people will end. This is a process whereby Anatolian and Kurdish communities can live together peacefully.
"Lay down your weapons and exit [Turkish] borders. We are shifting from armed struggle to democratic struggle."
News that Ocalan was about to make an announcement was communicated by Kurdish politicians who visited him earlier this week at the prison where he is being held on the island of Imrali.
Ocalan had said his declaration would be "historic".
In February the PKK leader called for prisoners to be released by both sides.
Continue reading the main story
The PKK
The PKK took up arms against the Turkish state in 1984, demanding greater autonomy for Turkey's Kurds, who are thought to comprise up to 20% of the population
Since then, some 40,000 people have died in the conflict
It is regarded by Turkey, the US and European Union as a terrorist organisation, because of its attacks on Turkish security forces and civilians
The PKK freed eight Turkish soldiers and officials it had held captive in northern Iraq for up to two years.
Ocalan move?
The PKK launched its armed campaign in 1984 and is regarded by Turkey, the US and EU as a terrorist organisation. Last year saw some of the heaviest fighting in decades.
The organisation rolled back on its demands for an independent Kurdish state in the 1990s, calling instead for more autonomy.
Reports say the PKK wish list now includes greater constitutional and linguistic rights for Kurds, as well as an easing of pressure on Kurdish activists.
The government has also not dismissed speculation that Ocalan could be moved to house arrest, the BBC's James Reynolds in Istanbul reports.
BBC News - Turkey Kurds: PKK chief Ocalan calls for ceasefire
