Amed Malazgirt, one of the Commanders of the People's Defense Center Headquarters, said at the 12th Congress of the PKK that "Leader Apo [Abullah calan] knows the enemy much better than we do. Our trust in Leader Apo is unshakable; we are devoted to him to the end. We are Leader Apo’s devotees. Every word of his is an order to us, every instruction a guiding light. We hold our heads high in the face of the PKK’s unparalleled greatness, and we always will."

In the PKK for over 30 years

Malazgirt paid tribute to PKK founding members Ali Haydar Kaytan and Rıza Altun, and added: "In my youth, there were many leftist organizations in our region. The Apocus [Apo followers] were a minority, but they always stood out. That captured my interest. When the civil war broke out, and we heard ‘the Apocus are fighting,’ even though we were just children, we stood by them with sticks and knives. The Apocus always fascinated me more than anyone else. When the PKK became a prominent topic in our region and I decided to join, it was essentially a decision to follow Apo’s path.

Since the moment I joined the revolutionary ranks, it’s been nearly 35 years. My life has been spent in guerrilla warfare. I believe I understand Leader Apo well and feel deeply that I will remain loyal to him for life and am ready to sacrifice myself for the PKK. I’ve shaped my approach with this awareness. In battles against the occupying Turkish army, I stood in the ranks of struggle with confidence and determination."

Epic struggle waged

Commander Malazgirt continued: "In Leader Apo’s approach, there is no such thing as defeat; giving up halfway is never an option. His way is always crowned with victory. Leader Apo’s truth has always been evident; he created opportunities from nothing and presented them to us. We hold our heads high before the PKK’s unmatched greatness, and we always will.

No organization or state has been able to fight against an enemy like the Turkish occupying army the way the PKK has. I witnessed many heroes stand against the occupiers with superhuman willpower and immense sacrifice under the harshest conditions. These heroes waged an epic struggle with unwavering faith in Leader Apo’s line. They never accepted surrender; they made resistance their guide. Despite all the hardship and deprivation, they fought by the rules of war against the enemy.

On the other hand, our enemies employed every form of dishonor and moral corruption, violating the ethics of war. This is the reality of the Turkish state—and it continues today. The PKK’s decision to dissolve, its declaration of a ceasefire, and HPG’s withdrawal from combat positions were shaped by Leader Apo’s will to create new opportunities. Yet despite this, they continue to close off tunnel entrances and use chemical weapons to harm our comrades resisting in the war tunnels under the most difficult conditions."

A new beginning

Commander Malazgirt added: "The true face of the Turkish state is barbarity and immorality; I firmly believe this. However, Leader Apo knows the enemy far better than we do. Our faith in him is unwavering. As PKK militants, we are his devotees. His every word is an order, and every instruction a guide.

If there is to be a Kurdistan, and that Kurdistan does not include Leader Apo, then, in my personal opinion, there is no need for such a Kurdistan.

The dissolution of the PKK marks the beginning of a new era of greater struggle, and the weight on our shoulders has grown heavier. With political, moral, and conscientious self-critique, I promise to dedicate myself to following the path of Leader Apo in the coming process."