Welcome to DailyUpdown! This is Kurdistan, a vast region spanning approximately 200,000 square kilometers across present-day Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria. The people living here are called Kurds, with a population of about three to four and a half million, making them the largest ethnic group in the world without their own country. Why are the inhabitants of this region divided among four countries? Why don’t they have a nation of their own? Have they tried to create one? Let’s find out.
To understand this, we need to go back a century to the early 20th century, before World War I, when most of Kurdistan was under Ottoman Empire control. During the war, the Ottomans fought against the Allied Powers—Britain, France, Italy, and Russia—alongside the Central Powers—Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Bulgaria. The Ottomans were defeated, and in 1920, the Treaty of Sèvres divided the empire among the Allies.
Greece gained western Turkey, northeast went to Armenia, Britain controlled Iraq and southeastern Turkey, France controlled northern Syria, and Italy took southwestern Turkey. The Ottoman Empire, which had existed for six centuries, was reduced to a smaller area. Before its collapse, Kurdistan was under Ottoman control, so initially, Kurds faced no problem.
The Treaty of Sèvres proposed Kurdish autonomy, but it was never implemented. Later, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk led the Turks against the Allies, regaining lost territories, including a large part of Kurdistan, which became part of Turkey. The 1923 Treaty of Lausanne defined Turkey’s new borders, with no independent Kurdistan provision. Meanwhile, Syria and Iraq were established as independent countries, leaving Kurdistan divided among Turkey, Iraq, and Syria. Iran retained a part of Kurdistan that historically belonged to the Iranian Empire.
Kurds are indigenous people of Mesopotamia, along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, mainly living in southeastern Turkey, northeastern Syria, northern Iraq, and western Iran. Today, there are about 30–45 million Kurds worldwide. Roughly half a million live in Turkey, and the rest are spread across Iran, Iraq, Syria, and other countries like Armenia and Germany. Kurds share a common language and culture, mostly Sunni Muslim, with some Christian and Jewish minorities.
Have Kurds tried to gain independence? After being divided, they fought for autonomy in their respective countries. In Turkey, Kurds faced language bans and repression until 1991. The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), formed in 1978, was labeled a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the EU due to violent acts.
In Syria, Kurds form about 10% of the population and face restrictions on names and cultural expression. PKK operations expanded into Iraq and Syria. Thousands have died, and Turkey has conducted airstrikes on Kurdish areas, creating buffer zones along the border. In Iraq, Iraqi Kurdistan was recognized as a semi-autonomous region in 2005, but full sovereignty was not granted.
This complex situation continues today, intertwined with international politics and conflicts. Kurds remain the largest ethnic group without a country, facing historical and ongoing challenges for self-determination.
FAQ:
Q1: Who are the Kurds?
A1: The Kurds are an ethnic group indigenous to the Middle East, mainly living in Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria. They share a common language and culture but do not have their own independent state.
Q2: Why don’t Kurds have their own country?
A2: Historical treaties, colonial divisions, and modern political conflicts have left the Kurdish population divided across four countries, preventing the establishment of an independent Kurdistan.
Q3: Have the Kurds tried to create an independent state?
A3: Yes, the Kurds have fought for autonomy in Turkey, Iraq, Syria, and Iran over the decades, but their efforts have often been suppressed by national governments.
Q4: What is the PKK?
A4: The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) is a Kurdish militant group, founded in 1978, which has fought for Kurdish autonomy in Turkey. It is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the EU.
Q5: Is Iraqi Kurdistan autonomous?
A5: Iraqi Kurdistan has been recognized as a semi-autonomous region since 2005 but is not fully independent and shares certain powers with the Iraqi federal government.
References:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurdistan
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurds
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurdistan_Workers%27_Party
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraqi_Kurdistan