Kurdish fighters in northern Iraq say they are ready to confront Iran’s regime, even as drone strikes threaten their campsIn a remote mountain camp in northern Iraq, Kurdish fighters preparing to challenge Iran’s leadership say the pull of home remains powerful — even after decades in exile. Don’t miss the latest headlines from Thailand and around the world. Get the Asean Now Briefing newsletter, delivered daily. Sign up here. For Shaho Bloori, a 53-year-old commander, the struggle is deeply personal. Two of his sisters still live in Iran. Eighteen of his relatives are buried there, killed by the regime over the years. Among them was his brother, a young protest singer executed at the age of 21. Bloori says the authorities not only hanged his brother but also shot his body repeatedly. Even after his death, he says, officials tried to control the family’s grief. “When my mother went to wash his body, there were 16 bullet holes,” he recalls. “They told her: ‘You must not cry. If you do, we will not let you bury him.’” Despite his anger, Bloori says he does not seek revenge if the current government falls. “We must stop the hanging,” he says. “Even if someone was responsible for hanging my brother, I don’t want them executed. We need freedom, not another regime like the Islamic regime.” Training a new generation of fightersBloori now trains young Kurdish fighters in the mountains of northern Iraq. The fighters belong to Komala of the Toilers of Kurdistan, a small Iranian Kurdish opposition group that is part of a broader alliance of organisations opposing Tehran’s rule. The camp sits in a rugged region of Iraqi Kurdistan surrounded by snow-capped peaks — a beautiful landscape that is also a frequent target for Iranian strikes. Days before journalists visited, drones struck roughly a kilometre from the site, injuring several people. Despite the danger, training continues. About two dozen fighters — men and women — gathered to greet visitors, chanting slogans and raising their rifles in the air. Their rallying cry echoes across the mountains: “Woman, life, freedom,” a Kurdish slogan adopted by protest movements inside Iran. More fighters stand guard on nearby hilltops, scanning the sky for drones. One lone sentry watches the horizon with his dog beside him. Kurds spread across the Middle EastThe Kurds are one of the largest ethnic groups in the Middle East without their own state. They live mainly across Iraq, Iran, Syria and Turkey, sharing a long history of persecution and political divisions. Iranian Kurdish fighters have operated from bases in northern Iraq for decades, although local Kurdish authorities are cautious about allowing their territory to become a staging ground for attacks on Iran. Officials in the autonomous Kurdish region want to avoid being drawn into the wider conflict. Hopes for a wider uprisingAmjad Hossein Panahi, a senior official in the Komala movement, says Kurdish fighters could play an important role if Iran’s government weakens. He argues that air strikes alone will not topple the regime. “Bombing is weakening the regime,” he says. “But Iran is a big country. Ground forces must intervene, and the Kurds can play an important role.” Panahi believes international support — particularly a no-fly zone — would be necessary to make that possible. But he is skeptical about how long the United States will remain involved. “I don’t trust Donald Trump,” he says bluntly. “I think he could decide to stop the war.” Still, Panahi believes the Iranian government is nearing its end. “It will fall,” he says. “Whether by Trump, by Benjamin Netanyahu, or by the people themselves.” A sudden warningThe conversation suddenly ends when Panahi receives a phone call. Another Komala camp near the city of Sulaymaniyah has reportedly come under drone attack. He immediately shouts orders to the fighters gathered around him. “Spread out! Drones and ballistic missiles are coming. Hurry!” The fighters scatter across the mountainside. Visitors rush for cover. The skies remain quiet, but the message is clear: the threat is never far away. For decades, Kurdish fighters have waited in these mountains for a chance to return home. If they do cross the border into Iran, the cost could be enormous — not only for them, but also for the fragile stability of northern Iraq. Join the discussion? Already a member? Adapted by ASEAN Now · Source · 13.03 2026
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