Even from the island prison where he has spent the past 26 years, Abdullah Ocalan still wields power over the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), the rebel group he founded to fight for a Kurdish homeland.

Kurdish militants who have waged a 40-year insurgency in Turkey declared a ceasefire on Saturday in what could mark a significant boost to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government, two days after their imprisoned leader called for the group to disarm.

Outlawed Kurdish group the PKK has declared a ceasefire with Turkey after its jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan called on the movement to lay down its arms and dissolve itself. In a statement on Saturday,

Turkey on Thursday insisted the PKK and all groups allied with it must disarm and disband "immediately", a week after a historic call by the Kurdish militant group's jailed founder. Last week, Ocalan made a historic call urging the PKK to dissolve and his fighters to disarm,