PKK declares ceasefire with Turkey after more than 40 years of conflict

Kurdish militant group responds to call from its jailed leader, Abdullah Ocalan, to lay down arms

A Kurdish militia has declared a ceasefire in its 40-year insurgency against Turkey after its imprisoned leader called for the group to disarm and dissolve earlier this week.

We are declaring a ceasefire to be effective from today on. None of our forces will take armed action unless attacked," the executive committee of the Kurdistan Workers' party (PKK) said in a statement.