Spread across four countries, an estimated 30 million Kurds make-up the 4th largest ethnic group in the Middle East, and the only one without a permanent nation state. Indigenous to the highlands and plains where the borders of Syria, Iraq, Iran and Turkey touch, the Kurds are united by a common language and culture. They have been fighting for the creation of their own state since the beginning of the 20th century, with every effort being met with brutal suppression. On September 25th a referendum vote for independence was held in Erbil, the capital of the quasi-independent Kurdistan in Iraq, with over 92% of voters calling for independence.

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