Escaping Iran to Fight for Kurdish Independence: The Women of the Peshmerga 

In the rugged Zagros mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan, a group of courageous women—once targets of Iran's repression—now fight for Kurdish independence as part of the Peshmerga, a guerrilla security force. These women, originally from Iranian Kurdistan (Rojhelat), fled their homeland to escape persecution, joining the Peshmerga’s ranks as some of the fiercest fighters in the region. 

The Peshmerga, backed by the US, were instrumental in defeating ISIS in 2017. But nearly eight years later, their battle is far from over. As the ISIS threat recedes, Iranian attacks on Kurdistan’s push for autonomy grow more intense. Recently, a Peshmerga compound was bombed by Iranian forces, prompting one unit to relocate to a secret, high-altitude base deep within the mountains. 

With tensions escalating, we join these women fighters on the frontlines to witness their daily lives—from military training and preparation for war to the bonds they share and the moments of respite they carve out together. This intimate look at their world reveals the human side of conflict: how they cope with constant threats, challenge gender norms in a warzone, and defy the label of "terrorists" often imposed upon them by the outside world.