Abdullah Ocalan, jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant group, appeared in a rare online video on Wednesday to declare the group's armed struggle against Turkey over and call for a full transition to democratic politics.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has welcomed the disarmament process begun by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) as an important step toward a terrorism-free Turkey.

For the first time in four decades, the Kurdistan Workers Party, known as the PKK, is laying down its arms and says it will end its insurgency against Turkey. The separatist group’s disbandment comes after its imprisoned leader announced an end to its 41-year armed struggle and a transition to democratic politics.

Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), appeared in a rare online video on Wednesday to say the group's armed struggle against Turkey has ended, and he called for a full shift to democratic politics.

The move comes after the leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) urged his group to formally disband and disarm.