DHAKA: Turkey’s militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has halted its pullout from Turkey.

The Kurdish Communities Union (KCK), the urban wing of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), said in a statement that the withdrawal had been halted because the Turkish government had not taken the necessary steps to solve the Kurdish issue and implement a process of democratization.

KCK also vowed to respect the ceasefire with Turkish forces, reports daily Hurriyet.

A senior PKK leader, Cemil Bayık, previously told BBC that the group would ‘continue to make efforts until September 1’.

‘Our leader (imprisoned PKK head Abdullah Öcalan) continues to make efforts too. If they do not take necessary steps for the second phase of the process, there will be nothing we can do... If we cannot see this, we will stop withdrawing on September 1,’ Bayık said.

BDST: 1422 HRS, SEPT 09, 2013
RoR/BSK