Facing a drop in votes, HDP plans to convince PKK to cease-fire


With the early elections on Nov.1 approaching, it has been reported that the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) will reach out to the PKK terrorist organization directly to announce a cease-fire and if the HDP officials do not succeed in their talks it has been further reported that the party will ask the outlawed PKK to place itself under the lines of self-defense. It has been reported that during the HDP's Central Executive Board (MYK) meeting on Wednesday, which was chaired by Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş, the party discussed its strategies and roadmaps ahead the upcoming elections. Sources have further noted that the HDP deputies as well as MYK members have focused solely on the increasing terror activities throughout Turkey by the PKK within the last two months.

As the recently conducted public surveys continue to reveal a significant drop in support for the HDP in the upcoming elections, it has been indicated that the party members expressed their concerns during the MYK meeting. The deputies from the eastern provinces have also reportedly said that the terror activities within the area are on the rise and warned their party officials that it may reach more threatening dimensions. Though it was expected that the jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan would call for a peace deal on Sept. 1, the international Day of Peace, the HDP deputies from the eastern provinces of Turkey reportedly noted that hopes for a cease-fire are diminishing. MYK members as well as deputies urged the party to reach out to the PKK directly and convey their requests for a cease-fire.The HDP delegation is expected to meet with the PKK administration and urge them to either declare a unilateral cease-fire or end its terror activities and place itself under the lines of self-defense. Due to heavy causalities, the PKK is expected to be in the favor of the HDP's requests and possibly declare a tactical cease-fire. The Turkish military launched extensive operations against the PKK terrorist organization in northern Syria and northern Iraq and it has been reported that nearly 1,000 terrorists have been killed and 500 injured while 230 have surrendered as a result of military operations that have been continuing over the month.