Turkey’s defense ministry on Thursday called on the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and its affiliates to immediately disband and surrender their weapons, asserting that the group has reached the "end of its lifespan."

“The PKK and all groups affiliated with it must end their terrorist activities, dissolve themselves, and immediately and unconditionally lay down their weapons and surrender,” defense ministry spokesperson Zeki Akturk said in a press briefing.

“The PKK organization has come to understand, albeit belatedly, that it has reached the end of its lifespan and that it has no choice but to dissolve itself,” he added.

Akturk also revealed that Turkey’s military operations have "neutralized" 26 fighters in the past week, and that 478 have been neutralized since the start of the year. Turkey uses the term “neutralize” to refer to adversaries who are captured, wounded, or killed.

His remarks come after the PKK declared a unilateral ceasefire with Turkey on Saturday, stating that it agrees with the contents of leader Abdullah Ocalan’s recent letter that called on the group to disarm and disband, but set a physical meeting with their jailed leader as a precondition to any successful peace process.

Ankara considers the PKK a terrorist organization, as do its Western allies. Ocalan’s letter has raised hopes for a resolution to the nearly four-decade-long conflict, which has claimed over 40,000 lives.

Founded in 1978, the PKK initially called for the establishment of an independent Kurdistan but now calls for autonomy. The group is designated a terrorist organization by Turkey