ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - The Kurdistan Region’s top leaders on Saturday extended their condolences over the death of Sirri Sureyya Onder, a Turkish politician who played a key role in the ongoing peace efforts between the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and Ankara.

Eighteen days after he was put under intensive care after suffering respiratory and cardiac arrest, Onder, an MP from Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), was pronounced dead by the hospital at the age of 62 due to “multiple organ failure.”

Onder was a member of the DEM Party delegation that frequently visited PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan at Imrali prison in recent months for peace efforts between the PKK and the Turkish state.

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Saturday extended his condolences over Onder’s death, lauding his role in the ongoing peace process.

“Onder was a long-time friend of the Kurdish people and a well-known fighter for the peace process in Turkey. May God rest his soul in Paradise and grant peace and comfort to everyone,” wrote the Kurdish premier in a statement.

Former Kurdistan Region President and Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Masoud Barzani, also extended his condolences to Onder’s family and loved ones.

Onder “devoted much of his life to political and peaceful struggle and his efforts towards a peaceful solution in Turkey are highly appreciated,” read a statement from President Barzani.

Following an October proposal by the now-indisposed Turkish Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli to free Ocalan in exchange for the PKK laying down arms, a mediating delegation from the DEM Party was granted the rare permission to visit and speak to the jailed PKK leader on the prison island of Imrali.

Onder and fellow party leader Pervin Buldan led the first delegation visiting Ocalan at Imrali and participated in a second and third meeting later on in January and February as well, ultimately resulting in a peace address by Ocalan that prompted the PKK to declare a unilateral ceasefire with Turkey to “pave the way” for the call.