Kurdistan

Why the Kurds are suddenly in the spotlight during the war with Iran - explainer

As Iranian proxies target Iraq's Kurdistan, the US is reportedly courting Kurdish Iranian militias for a ground front. Groups remain split between seizing the moment and avoiding total war.

Iranian Kurdish fighters from the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) take part in a training session at a base on the outskirts of Erbil, Iraq February 12, 2026.
A view of the Erbil Arjaan by Rotana hotel, in Erbil, the capital of Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region on March 6, 2026.

Erbil hotel hit by drone attack, security sources say

Iranian Kurdish fighters from the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) take part in a training session at a base on the outskirts of Erbil, Iraq February 12, 2026.

Israel backing Iranian Kurdish push to seize Iran border areas, sources say

Smoke rising from a recent airstrike on March 6, 2026 in Tehran, Iran.

Iranian officers reportedly abandon posts amid airstrikes, Trump demands 'unconditional surrender'


Saudi Arabia intercepts Iranian ballistic missiles, drones, Bahrain suffers damage from Iran strike

Iran continues to launch attacks on Gulf countries, including Qatar's Al Udeid Air Base, amid operations Epic Fury and Roaring Lion, causing damage in Bahrain's capital, Manama.

A Patriot missile battery is seen near Prince Sultan air base at al-Kharj on February 20, 2020; illustrative.

Will the Kurds open a new front against Iran's Ayatollahs? - analysis

There is a burning desire among the Kurdish people to unite with the West and Israel to topple the regime in Tehran, yet there is deep pragmatic hesitation among the leadership.

Kurdish internal security forces stand guard, as Syrian Kurds demonstrate to demand the release of Kurdish militant leader Abdullah Ocalan, who has been held in prison by Turkey since his capture in 1999, in Qamishli, Syria February 15, 2026.

Iran denies medical care for political inmates at Kurdish region prisons, raises security - report

An Azerbaijani Turkic political prisoner held in Orumiyeh Central Prison was reportedly denied medical attention for hours after suffering a heart attack.

Prison cell block

Six Kurdish Iranian groups unite in coalition against Tehran regime - analysis

Iranian Kurdish parties form a historic coalition to coordinate efforts and safeguard Kurdish interests amid regional unrest.

Erfan Mortezaei, Mahsa Aminis cousin and his colleagues stand among the mountain on October 04, 2022 in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq as part of Komala Kurdistan's Organization of the Communist Party of Iran.

The Kurdistan region of Iraq fears being dragged into Iran war - analysis

As Iran faces US and Israeli strikes, Iraq’s Kurdistan Region fears being pulled into the conflict amid drone attacks, militia activity, and growing concerns about regional escalation.

Kurdish Peshmerga fighters affiliated with PAK train on January 18, 2026 near Erbil, Iraq.

IDF launches strikes on Hezbollah in Beirut’s Dahiyeh, missile fragments hit in central Israel

IDF destroys over 300 ballistic missile launchers • Erdogan tells Macron Turkey seeking return to negotiations on Iran • Larijani says Iran prepared for possible US ground op.

A United Hatzalah emergency responder at the scene of a missile hit in central Israel, March 5, 2026.

Hundreds of Kurdish fighters launch ground offensive in Iran, officials deny reports

The Kurdish forces operating along the Iran-Iraq border are considered one of the most prominent armed opposition groups confronting the regime in Tehran.

A Kurdish fighter in Iraq.

CIA working to arm Kurdish forces, aims to spark uprising against Iran regime - report

Iranian Kurdish opposition forces are expected to take part in a ground operation in Western Iran in the coming days, a senior Iranian Kurdish official told CNN.

The Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) members pose for the camera as they celebrate Nowruz at the Jezhnikan Village around Baharka, Iraq, on March 18, 2025.

Who are the Kurdish groups and leaders that the US might work with in Iran? - explainer

The US is reaching out to Kurdish Iranian opposition groups as tensions rise, following airstrikes on Iran. Kurdish factions recently formed a coalition to oppose the Iranian regime.

 Members of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) walk back to their outpost near Erbil, Kurdistan region of Iraq on Saturday, June 10, 2023. The KDPI, a leftist Kurdish group of Iran that has been running an armed struggle against the Islamic Republic's regime in Iran from exile for decades

Drone strike hits Iranian Kurdish opposition group in Iraq, wounding two

A drone strike on an Iranian Kurdish opposition group’s base in Iraq’s Kurdistan wounded two fighters. This attack highlights ongoing tensions between Iran and militant groups in the region.

The Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) members pose for the camera as they celebrate Nowruz at the Jezhnikan Village around Baharka, Iraq, on March 18, 2025.