Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK), an Iran-based armed group of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has announced that it will not lay down its arms despite the PKK’s decision to dissolve itself.

Axar.az eport, citing Turkish media, “We, as PJAK, will neither lay down arms nor dissolve ourselves,” Amir Karimi, PJAK co-chair.

PJAK, which was founded in 2003, said Ocalan’s call did not apply to them.

“The decision to dissolve the PKK is their own decision as a party; PJAK's decision on this matter is different and does not include us,” Karimi said. However, he described Ocalan’s call as “significant and positive for resolving the Kurdish issue throughout the Middle East.”