SUMMARY

The conflict between PKK (Partiya Karkeran Kurdistan; Kurdistan Workers’ Party) and KDP (Kurdish Democratic Party; Partiya Demokrata Kurdistan) took place both in the context of the conflict between PKK and the Turkish government (for more information see GOvernment of Turkey - PKK) but also in the context of the conflict between KDP and PUK (Yekitiya Nistimaniya Kurdistan; Patriotic Union of Kurdistan) (see KDP - PUK).

By 1995 the conflict between KDP and PUK had reached a point where a peace agreement seemed plausible. PKK, which launched its attacks in Turkey from bases inside Iraq, feared that stability in the region could decrease their possibilities of continuing to stay in the relative safety inside the area of northern Iraq, often referred to as Iraqi Kurdistan. Adding to this, PKK was grieved by the fact that KDP was cooperating with the Government of Turkey in Ankara. For these reasons PKK decided to launch an attack on KDP in the fall of 1995.

PKK was supporting PUK in the conflict against KDP but even though Turkey expressed a willingness to assist KDP in their struggle against PKK, KDP declined the offer. Once the Washington Agreement between KDP and PUK was signed (for more information on this, see KDP - PUK), and relative peace spread in the region, relations between PKK and KDP calmed down. PKK, however, retained its presence in northern Iraq and for some months in 2000 the conflict broke out again. According to KDP, the underlying cause was threats and attacks by PKK throughout the region.

The non-state conflict between PKK and KDP is first included in UCDP data in 1995. In August and September of that year violent clashes flared up in northern Iraq, resulting in over 25 battle-related deaths.