The Kurds

Source: BS

Subject: International Relations

Context: The Kurds have returned to the global spotlight following reports that the CIA is considering engaging Kurdish armed groups to pressure the Iranian regime.

• This comes as a new Coalition of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan was formed in February 2026.

About The Kurds:

Who are the Kurds?

• The Kurds are an Indo-European ethnic group indigenous to the Mesopotamian plains and the highlands of West Asia. With a population estimated between 30 to 40 million, they are widely recognized as the world’s largest stateless ethnic group.

Language: They speak Kurdish, which belongs to the Northwestern Iranian branch of Indo-European languages.

Religion: The majority are Sunni Muslims, but the community is religiously diverse, including Shia Muslims, Christians, Alevis, and Yazidis.

Origin and History:

The Kurds trace their ancestry back thousands of years to the ancient tribes of the Zagros Mountains.

• Post-WWI Betrayal: Their modern stateless status stems from the aftermath of World War I. The 1920 Treaty of Sèvres initially promised an independent Kurdish state.

• Treaty of Lausanne (1923): This treaty superseded Sèvres, partitioning the Kurdish homelands among the newly formed borders of Turkey, Iraq, and Syria, leaving the Kurds as minorities in every country they inhabited.

Geographic Distribution:

• The traditional Kurdish homeland, Kurdistan, is spread across four main countries of West Asia: Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria.

Major Issues and Regional Struggles:

• Iran: Kurds face systemic marginalization by the central government. Groups like the PJAK and the KDPI have long engaged in low-level insurgency against the IRGC, demanding autonomy and secular governance.

• Iraq: This is the only region where Kurds have achieved formal semi-autonomy through the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

• Syria: During the Syrian Civil War, Kurdish forces (YPG) became the primary boots-on-the-ground allies for the US-led coalition against ISIS. They currently manage a de-facto autonomous zone in Northeast Syria (Rojava) but face constant threats of invasion from Turkey.

• They currently manage a de-facto autonomous zone in Northeast Syria (Rojava) but face constant threats of invasion from Turkey.