'Everyone is a Peshmerga': The Kurdish men and women who are fighting Iran

Begard, a woman Peshmerga: “In our community everyone is Peshmerga. It doesn't matter, man or woman. Equality manifests itself in free chose - if I decide that I'm going to the mountain my husband will take care of the children and the house. It doesn't mean that he is not a man! If he can share the responsibilities with me he is more masculine than those who can only hold a gun".

 

 

 

Narges, a woman Peshmerga: "I am not here for money! I am a Kurd and I decided to join the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran to fight for an independent country even if I don't receive a regular salary. I feel guilty when I can't buy for my children something they want but I try to explain to them that a free Kurdistan is the most important question."

 

 

 

Zahir: "Our obligation is to help local people. They know that they can count on our help and they ask us about medical supply, help with farm work or protection of the goods smuggled into Iran. The Kurdish community is very poor in this area and we support them as much we can.”

 

 

 

Salah: “Look at our weapons. They are old but we don't have money to buy better equipment. Despite this, we are better fighters than a regular army. We are in the mountains because of our strong will, we fight because we believe in an independent country.”

 

 

 

Qadir: “Before you become a Peshmerga you have to go work out. During our trainings we teach how to use weapons, and discipline, but also the ideological base - gender equality and ecology. In the mountain you are an element of nature, you can't harm your environment, you have to become a part of nature".

 

 

 

Franco: “It happens that Iranian forces are shooting at us without reason. This year they fired on our positions twice. Iranian Revolutionary Guards killed our people in Shno. They intimidate the Kurdish minority in Iran, destroy their homes. The worst thing is that the world remains deaf what is happening here.”