A Kurdish guerrilla group on Saturday declared a new unilateral cease-fire in its war for autonomy in Turkey's southeast, heeding a call from its imprisoned rebel leader, the pro-Kurdish Firat news agency said on its Web site. The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) said the cease-fire would go into effect on Sunday "in the hopes of starting a democratic process for the solution of the Kurdish problem," Firat reported.
The group said its fighters will not use arms unless attacked by the Turkish army, Firat said. Turkey, however, is likely to press ahead with its military drive targeting the rebels. Ankara has ignored all previous cease-fires by the group, saying it does not negotiate with terrorists. Military commanders have vowed to fight until all rebels are killed or surrender.