Original subtitles

How can an entire nation exist without a country?

In the mountains of the Middle East lives one of the largest stateless

in the world.

Millions of people who share a language, a culture, and a powerful sense of

identity, yet their homeland does not officially exist on any political map.

They are the Kurds. For more than a century, this ancient people has been

divided between Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria.

caught in the middle of wars, revolutions, and geopolitical struggles

shaped the modern Middle East. Despite this, the Kurds have remained one of the

most resilient and influential communities in the region, but their

even more dramatic in the 21st century.

But before we begin...

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All right, Kurds, let's travel through the mountains of history.

In the mountains of the Middle East lives one of the largest peoples on

without a state of their own.

More than 30 million individuals share a common language, cultural traditions,

music, and identity.

Yet when you look at the political map of the world, their homeland simply does

not appear.

These are the Kurds. Their ancestral lands stretch across a vast, mountainous

region that cuts through what are today four different countries, Turkey, Iran,

Iraq, and Syria.

For centuries, Kurdish communities lived in these rugged landscapes, forming

tribes, villages and regional kingdoms that preserved their traditions, despite

the rise and fall of empires around them.

But history rarely respects the borders of identity.

When the Ottoman Empire collapsed at the end of the First World War, the

political map of the Middle East was redrawn by international agreements and

national governments.

Lines were drawn across mountains, rivers and deserts, lines that divided

Kurdish lands into several separate countries.

Instead of becoming citizens of a new Kurdish nation, millions of Kurds

found themselves minorities inside different states.

In Turkey, Kurdish identity would often face strict political pressure.

In Iran, Kurdish regions remained under firm central control.

In Syria, Kurdish communities struggled for recognition, and in Iraq, Kurdish

territories would become the center of some of the most intense conflicts of

late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Despite these challenges, Kurdish culture endured.

The Kurdish language continued to be spoken in homes and villages.

Songs and oral traditions preserved stories of past heroes and lost

Festivals, clothing and customs kept alive a powerful sense of belonging to

something older than modern borders.

Yet there was another challenge.

The Kurds were not a perfectly unified nation.

Kurdish society historically developed through tribes and regional groups.

Different political movements emerged, sometimes cooperating, sometimes

competing with one another.

Some sought independence, others autonomy, and some simply survival

countries where they lived.

This fragmentation would become one of the greatest obstacles to creating a

unified Kurdish state.

Still, the dream never disappeared.

For generations, Kurdish leaders, fighters, and intellectuals imagined a

homeland called Kurdistan, a country that would unite Kurdish territories

a single flag.

But every attempt to turn that dream into reality collided with the

realities of the Middle East.

Because Kurdistan would not be carved out of empty land.

It would have to emerge from the territory of several powerful states.

And none of them were willing to give it up. For decades, the Kurdish question

remained one of the most complicated and explosive issues in the region.

A people without a country, surrounded by governments that feared the

consequences of Kurdish independence.

But history was about to change dramatically.

In the early 21st century, a new force would emerge in the Middle East, one so

violent and so ambitious that it would push the entire region into chaos. And

the middle of that storm, the Kurds would find themselves on the front line

war that would transform their role in world politics.

Because when the Islamic State began its expansion across Iraq and Syria, the

Kurds would no longer be just a stateless people.

They would become one of the most important armies fighting to stop it.

Ottoman Empire collapsed after the First World War, the Middle East entered one

of the most dramatic moments in its history.

For centuries, vast territories across the region had been ruled by a single

imperial authority.

Different peoples, religions, and cultures lived under the same political

structure. But when that empire finally fell, the old order vanished almost

overnight. What came next was not a natural evolution of borders, but a

geopolitical redesign.

European powers, particularly the United Kingdom and France, played a central

role in shaping the new map of the Middle East.

Territories were reorganized into new states, mandates were established, and

modern borders were drawn across regions that had never before been divided in

such ways.

And in this process, one of the largest ethnic groups in the region found itself

without a homeland.

The Kurds.

Early diplomatic discussions had briefly raised the possibility of creating a

Kurdish state.

In theory, Kurdistan could emerge from the mountainous regions where Kurdish

communities had lived for generations.

But in practice, geopolitical interests quickly outweighed that idea.

The land that might have become Kurdistan was divided instead.

Part of it became part of the Republic of Turkey. Another large portion

inside Iran.

Northern regions were incorporated into Iraq, and smaller Kurdish populations

lived within the borders of Syria.

The dream of a unified Kurdish homeland disappeared from official diplomatic

negotiations almost as quickly as it had appeared.

From that moment forward, Kurdish communities would face very different

realities depending on the country in which they lived.

In some places, Kurdish language and cultural expression were restricted.

In others, Kurdish political movements were suppressed or forced underground.

Governments feared that any recognition of Kurdish identity could encourage

separatist movements and threaten territorial integrity.

Kurdish identity survived.

Across villages and cities, Kurdish culture continued to flourish in quiet

Families preserved their traditions, storytellers passed down histories of

resistance and exile, and songs remembered the idea of a homeland that

fully existed on a political map.

But the lack of unity among Kurdish groups complicated their struggle.

Kurdish society was historically organized through tribes and regional

Political organizations emerged with different ideologies, strategies, and

leadership structures.

Some groups favored armed resistance, others political negotiation, and some

focused primarily on cultural preservation.

At times, Kurdish movements cooperated across borders.

At other times, internal divisions weakened their collective influence.

This fragmentation made it extremely difficult to form a unified Kurdish

political project.

Meanwhile, the governments of the region viewed Kurdish nationalism with deep

suspicion. Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria all feared that a strong Kurdish

movement could trigger territorial fragmentation.

As a result, Kurdish uprisings and political movements were often met with

military force or political repression.

For much of the 20th century, Kurdish aspirations seemed trapped in an endless

cycle of rebellion and suppression.

Yet the story was far from over, because history has a way of reshaping

political realities when unexpected crises emerge.

And in the early years of the 21st century, one of the most violent forces

region had ever seen would rise from the chaos of war.

A force that would redraw battle lines across Iraq and Syria.

A force that would threaten entire populations with extermination. And once

again, the Kurds would find themselves at the center of a conflict that would

change their role in the Middle East forever.

Because, when the Islamic State began its rapid expansion, the Kurds were no

longer just a divided people.

They were about to become a crucial line of defense against one of the most

dangerous militant movements of the modern era.

At the beginning of the 21st century, the Middle East was already living

a period of deep instability.

Wars, political revolutions, and collapsing governments had created a

where power was constantly shifting.

In that chaos, new movements began to rise, some political, others militant,

some far more dangerous than anyone initially realized.

Among them was a group that would soon shock the world.

What began as a faction connected to the militant organization known as Al

-Qaeda slowly transformed into something far more ambitious.

Internal rivalries and power struggles fractured the movement, and from those

divisions emerged a new organization that declared it would no longer operate

under anyone's authority.

It called itself the Islamic State.

The group's objective was extraordinary in scope.

Its leaders envisioned the creation of a vast caliphate, a political and

religious state that would unite large portions of the Middle East and North

Africa under a single rule.

In their vision, national borders would disappear, replaced by a centralized

authority governed by their interpretation of religious law.

At first, many observers underestimated the group's potential, but within a

surprisingly short time, the Islamic State began expanding rapidly.

Taking advantage of the instability in Iraq and the civil war raging in Syria,

the organization captured cities, military bases, and entire regions.

Their strategy combined military aggression, propaganda, and brutal

intimidation. Communities that resisted were often subjected to extreme violence

designed to instill fear across the region.

Entire populations were forced to flee their homes.

Historic cities fell under militant control.

Ancient cultural sites that had survived for centuries were destroyed in acts

meant to demonstrate ideological power.

Oil fields, strategic roads and border crossings were seized, giving the

organization access to enormous financial resources.

One of the most critical targets in their expansion was northern Iraq.

This region was not only strategically important, it also contained significant

oil production areas.

Control of these resources could help finance the militant state they were

trying to build. But northern Iraq was not empty land.

It was home to millions of Kurds. As Islamic State forces advanced toward

Kurdish regions, the situation quickly became catastrophic.

Villages were attacked, communities displaced, and civilians faced extreme

violence if they refused to submit to the group's authority.

Minority communities in particular suffered devastating attacks.

Entire populations were forced into exile, and in some cases, Massacres

the international community.

For Kurdish regions, the threat was existential.

This was not simply a territorial dispute or another political

For many Kurdish communities, the arrival of the Islamic State meant the

possibility of complete destruction.

Suddenly, the Kurds were not just a stateless people struggling for

They were a population fighting for survival.

Across northern Iraq and parts of Syria, Kurdish militias began organizing

defensive lines.

Fighters, many of whom had little formal military training, prepared to defend

towns, villages, and mountain passes against one of the most aggressive

forces the region had ever seen.

At first, the balance of power seemed dangerously uneven.

The Islamic State possessed captured military equipment, heavy weapons, and

thousands of fighters.

Entire Iraqi military units had collapsed during the group's early

leaving vast quantities of weapons behind.

Yet something unexpected began to happen. Despite their limited resources,

Kurdish forces refused to retreat.

Village by village, hill by hill, they began resisting the advance.

And as the scale of the conflict became clearer to the world, a crucial question

began to emerge among global powers. If the Islamic State continued expanding,

who could actually stop it?

Because at that moment, one group seemed more determined than anyone else to

stand in its way.

The Kurds.

By the time the Islamic State reached the northern regions of Iraq and Syria,

much of the world was still trying to understand the scale of the threat.

Entire cities had fallen with alarming speed.

Military units had collapsed.

Governments struggled to respond to a militant organization that seemed to

stronger with every victory.

But in the mountains and plains of Kurdish territory, the response was

immediate. Kurdish militias began organizing defensive forces across

Iraq and Syria.

These fighters were not part of a single unified army.

Different Kurdish groups operated in different regions, each with its own

leadership and history.

Yet the urgency of the situation created a rare moment of coordination.

They were defending their homes.

Men and women joined the fight.

In several Kurdish militias, female fighters stood alongside male soldiers,

striking image that quickly captured international attention.

Entire communities mobilized to protect villages, strategic roads, and mountain

passes that could determine the fate of entire regions.

The first confrontations were brutal. Islamic State forces possessed heavy

weapons, armored vehicles, and large numbers of fighters.

Much of their equipment had been captured from collapsing military bases

their rapid expansion.

They moved aggressively, attempting to seize territory before resistance could

organize. But the Kurds refused to yield.

Across northern Iraq, Kurdish fighters began slowing the advance of the

militants. Every town defended, every supply route disrupted, every strategic

hill held back the expansion of the Islamic State just a little longer.

At the same time, the conflict was attracting the attention of global

The United States faced a difficult decision.

Sending large numbers of American soldiers back into another major Middle

Eastern ground war was politically unpopular after years of previous

Yet allowing the Islamic State to expand unchecked posed a serious international

security risk.

A new strategy began to take shape.

Instead of deploying massive ground forces, the United States would support

local allies already fighting the militants.

Among the available partners in the region, Kurdish militias quickly emerged

one of the most effective options.

Military aid began to flow, weapons, training, intelligence support, and air

coordination dramatically strengthened Kurdish defensive capabilities.

With this assistance, Kurdish forces began transitioning from desperate

resistance to organized counter -offensives.

Battle by battle, the momentum began to shift.

Kurdish fighters recaptured towns that had fallen under militant control.

Strategic supply routes were cut off.

Positions once thought impossible to reclaim slowly returned to Kurdish

At the same time, other international actors entered the conflict.

Russia launched military operations in Syria, supporting the government of

Bashar al -Assad and conducting airstrikes against militant targets in

region. The war against the Islamic State was no longer a local struggle.

It had become a global confrontation.

Yet on the ground, One reality remained clear.

Kurdish forces were among the most reliable and determined fighters,

the militants directly.

For many Kurdish communities, this war carried a deeper meaning.

It was not only about defeating a militant organization, it was also about

proving something to the world.

For generations, the Kurds had been treated as a stateless people, divided

across borders and often ignored in international politics.

Now, they were demonstrating that they could shape the fate of an entire

And as the Islamic State began losing territory, Kurdish fighters realized

something that had once seemed impossible.

For the first time in modern history, their military strength might give them

political leverage.

But victory on the battlefield does not always guarantee victory in politics,

because once the war against the Islamic State began to wind down, the Kurds

would face a new and familiar question.

Would the world finally support the creation of a Kurdish state, or would

geopolitical realities once again stand in the way of Kurdistan?

As the power of the Islamic State began to crumble, a new reality emerged.

across the battlefields of Iraq and Syria.

Cities that had once fallen under militant control were slowly being

Supply routes collapsed.

Oil fields were recaptured. One by one, the territories that had formed the

heart of the Islamic State's self -declared caliphate began slipping out

grasp. Among the forces responsible for this reversal, Kurdish fighters played a

decisive role.

Years of intense combat had transformed Kurdish militias into one of the most

capable ground forces in the region.

Their knowledge of the terrain combined with increasing international support

allowed them to hold strategic positions and push militant forces back across

large areas of northern Iraq and Syria.

For many Kurds, this moment carried enormous significance.

They had not only defended their communities from destruction, they had

helped dismantle one of the most dangerous militant movements of the

And naturally, a question began to spread across Kurdish political circles.

If the Kurds had sacrificed so much in the fight against the Islamic State,

would the world finally recognize their right to an independent state.

For generations, Kurdish leaders had dreamed of a nation called Kurdistan, a

homeland that would unite Kurdish territories under a single political

authority, a place where Kurdish language, culture, and identity would no

exist under the shadow of larger states.

Now, with Kurdish forces controlling large areas of northern Iraq, That dream

suddenly seemed closer than it had ever been.

But the world of geopolitics rarely follows the logic of sacrifice.

Powerful governments quickly began weighing the consequences of Kurdish

independence. And the conclusion many of them reached was clear.

Creating a Kurdish state could destabilize the entire region.

Because Kurdish populations did not live only in Iraq.

Millions of Kurds also lived in Turkey, Iran and Syria.

The creation of an independent Kurdistan in Iraq could encourage Kurdish

movements in those countries to demand the same thing.

For governments already wary of separatist movements, that scenario

a major security concern. Even countries that had supported Kurdish fighters

during the war against the Islamic State were hesitant.

The United States, for example, had developed close military cooperation

Kurdish forces during the conflict, yet supporting full Kurdish independence

risked creating serious tensions with Turkey, a long -standing ally and member

of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

The result was a compromise. Instead of independence, Kurdish regions in

northern Iraq would receive a high degree of political autonomy.

Local Kurdish authorities would manage many internal affairs, maintain their

security forces and exercise control over significant regional institutions.

In practice, this created what many observers described as a semi

Kurdish region within Iraq.

For Kurdish leaders, the outcome was both a victory and a disappointment.

On one hand, Kurdish institutions had never possessed so much political

influence or territorial control.

The Kurdish regional government became an important actor in Iraqi politics and

maintained significant control over local security forces.

On the other hand, the ultimate dream of Kurdistan remained unfulfilled.

Once again, international borders and geopolitical calculations had blocked

creation. of a Kurdish state.

Still, the events of the war had changed something fundamental.

The Kurds were no longer simply a marginalized population scattered across

Middle East.

They had become a strategic force, militarily capable, politically

and deeply embedded in the complex balance of power shaping the region.

And that new reality would soon draw them into another dangerous chapter of

Middle Eastern geopolitics.

because the conflicts surrounding Iran, Turkey and regional power struggles were

far from over.

And once again, Kurdish territories would find themselves positioned at the

crossroads of larger geopolitical games.

By the time the territorial power of the Islamic State had largely collapsed,

the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East had changed in ways few could have

predicted.

Entire regions had been destroyed and rebuilt, new alliances had formed, old

rivalries had intensified, and in the middle of this complex web of power, the

Kurds now occupied a position far more significant than before.

For decades, Kurdish groups had struggled simply to survive within the

of larger states.

Now they controlled strategic territories.

In northern Iraq, Kurdish authorities governed a region with functioning

institutions,

organized security forces, and control over key economic areas.

Some of these territories included important oil -producing zones,

that gave Kurdish leaders leverage in negotiations with both Baghdad and

international partners.

But this newfound influence also placed them directly in the path of regional

rivalries. The Middle East is not only shaped by local conflicts, it is also a

stage where global and regional powers constantly compete for influence.

Countries like the United States, Iran, Turkey and Russia all maintain strategic

interests in the region, and Kurdish territories often sit at the

of those interests.

For the United States, Kurdish forces proved to be reliable partners during

war against the Islamic State.

Military cooperation built strong operational ties between Kurdish

Western military structures.

For Iran, however, Kurdish movements represent a potential threat along its

Western borders.

where Kurdish populations also live inside Iranian territory.

Turkey views certain Kurdish armed groups with deep suspicion as well,

particularly those linked to organizations that have historically

the Turkish state.

This means Kurdish political and military groups operate in one of the

delicate strategic environments in the world.

Every decision they make, every alliance, every military movement, every

political demand can trigger reactions from multiple powerful actors at once.

At times, Kurdish groups have been encouraged by outside powers to play

roles in regional conflicts.

Their geographic position, military experience, and organizational structure

make them valuable allies in certain strategic calculations.

But this dynamic carries risks.

History has shown that smaller regional actors can sometimes become instruments

in the larger geopolitical strategies of powerful states.

Support offered in one moment may shift as alliances change and new priorities

emerge.

For Kurdish leaders, this reality presents a difficult dilemma.

Cooperation with global powers can strengthen Kurdish security and

relying too heavily on external support can also leave Kurdish movements

vulnerable to sudden changes in international politics.

And the broader Kurdish dream, the creation of a fully independent

remains complicated by these same geopolitical forces.

The mountains of Kurdistan have long been described as the Kurds' only true

allies. But in the modern era, the Kurds have also demonstrated something else,

resilience. Despite centuries without a state, despite political divisions and

regional conflicts, Kurdish identity has endured.

Communities have preserved their culture, their language, and their sense

belonging even in the absence of a unified homeland.

Today, the Kurds remain one of the most influential stateless peoples in the

world. Their fighters helped defeat one of the most dangerous militant movements

of the modern era.

Their political institutions govern significant territory.

Their communities stretch across multiple countries, shaping regional

in ways that few other stateless nations ever have.

Yet the central question remains unresolved.

Will the Kurds one day achieve the independence that generations have

of? Or will Kurdistan remain an idea, powerful, persistent, but always just

beyond the reach of political reality?

Only time will tell.

The story of the Kurds is one of the most remarkable in modern history.

It is the story of a nation that survived without a state, a culture that

endured despite political borders, and a people who repeatedly found themselves

at the center of conflicts far larger than their own ambitions.

Across mountains, deserts, and divided frontiers, Kurdish communities preserved

their identity through centuries of shifting empires and modern geopolitical

struggles. They fought to defend their homes against extremist movements. They

negotiated with global powers.

They built institutions where few believed it was possible, and yet their

greatest aspiration remains unfinished.

Because the Kurdish story reminds us of something profound about history,

nations are not defined only by borders drawn on maps.

They are defined by people, by language, by memory, and by the persistence of a

dream that refuses to disappear.

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