Kurdish militants who have waged a 40-year insurgency in Turkey declared a ceasefire on Saturday in what could mark a significant boost to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government, two days after their imprisoned leader called for the group to disarm.

The conflict, which began in 1984, has led to tens of thousands of deaths. The ceasefire is the first sign of an end to the conflict since peace talks between the PKK and Ankara broke down in the summer of 2015.