Abdullah Ocalan

Quick Facts

• Region: Southeastern Turkey
• Born: April 4, 1948, Omerli (Turkey)
• Died: Living (imprisoned since 1999)
• Known for: Founding and leading the PKK

Overview

Abdullah Ocalan is a Kurdish political figure and the founder of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). He became a central figure in the Kurdish movement in Turkey and led the organization from the late 1970s through the 1990s.

In 1999 he was captured and imprisoned in Turkey, and his imprisonment has remained a focal point in Kurdish politics.

Life and Leadership

Ocalan studied political science in Ankara and helped establish the PKK in 1978. Under his leadership the PKK launched an armed campaign in 1984 that reshaped the Kurdish-Turkish conflict.

Legacy

Ocalan’s ideas and leadership have had a lasting impact on Kurdish political thought, while his role remains controversial due to the violence of the conflict.