Turkey’s outlawed Kurdish rebel leader is back — thanks to his nemesis

Highlighting the political complexities that surround Turkey and the Kurds, five people were killed in an attack at the Turkish Aerospace Industries headquarters in Ankara on Wednesday, just a day after Bahçeli’s remarks.

The Turkish interior minister said it was “highly likely” the perpetrators were members of the PKK, which is classified as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU. The country’s air force hit PKK targets in northern Syria and Iraq late Wednesday night in retaliation.

Bahçeli’s intervention, however, has opened the door to a surprise return to the fray for Öcalan.

“If the terrorist leader’s isolation is lifted, let him come and speak … Let him declare that terrorism is over and the organization disbanded,” Bahçeli said in a speech to members of parliament from his Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). 

Bahçeli has consistently styled himself the PKK’s sworn enemy, and his words came as a bombshell.

Erdoğan signaled he was aware of Bahçeli’s bold move, saying in a televised speech on Wednesday: “We hope this unique window of opportunity that the ruling coalition is offering to end the terror will not be sacrificed to personal agendas.”