An estimated 30m ethnic Kurds live in a region spanning four countries

Kurdish relations with Tehran have often been tense since the Iranian revolution. The Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan campaigns for greater autonomy

Kurds have most political autonomy in Iraq where the Kurdistan Regional Government administers their homeland. The KRG’s army, known as the Peshmerga, are also fighting Isis

Iran

Iraq

The People’s Protection Units (YPG) have pushed back the fighters of Islamic State in northern Syria to carve out a sphere of Kurdish influence which is now agitating Turkey

Armed conflict between the Turkish government and the Kurdish Worker’s Party (PKK) has flared up again. Ankara is also determined to thwart military or political cooperation between Turkish and Syrian Kurds

Syria

Turkey

Hasakah

Jarablus

Diyabakir

Sanandaj

Irbil

Bitlis

Ağri

Kobane

200 miles

200 km

Iran

Iraq

Syria

Turkey

Irbil

Kurdish relations with Tehran have often been tense since the Iranian revolution. The Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan campaigns for greater autonomy

Kurds have most political autonomy in Iraq where the Kurdistan Regional Government administers their homeland. The KRG’s army, known as the Peshmerga, are also fighting Isis

The People’s Protection Units (YPG) have pushed back the fighters of Islamic State in northern Syria to carve out a sphere of Kurdish influence which is now agitating Turkey

Armed conflict between the Turkish government and the Kurdish Worker’s Party (PKK) has flared up again. Ankara is also determined to thwart military or political cooperation between Turkish and Syrian Kurds

Iran

Iraq

Syria

Turkey

Hasakah

Jarablus

Diyabakir

Sanandaj

Bitlis

Ağri

Kobane

Aleppo

200 miles

200 km

Iran

Mosul

Iraq

Homs

Syria

Turkey