Fight against Islamic State puts independence on backburner for Kurdish militants

By Ruth Pollard
Updated September 19 2014 - 3:18pm, first published 2:17pm
Peshmerga forces in northern Iraq. Photo: Ruth Pollard
Peshmerga forces in northern Iraq. Photo: Ruth Pollard
Commander Badr Khan standing under a flag featuring the image of Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned PKK leader. Photo: Ruth Pollard
Commander Badr Khan standing under a flag featuring the image of Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned PKK leader. Photo: Ruth Pollard
Commander Nuve Rojhat (centre) with some of the fighters in her unit at the Daquq PKK base. Photo: Ruth Pollard
Commander Nuve Rojhat (centre) with some of the fighters in her unit at the Daquq PKK base. Photo: Ruth Pollard
Peshmerga soldier looks over no-mans-land towards ISIL controlled areas of northern Iraq. Photo: Ruth Pollard
Peshmerga soldier looks over no-mans-land towards ISIL controlled areas of northern Iraq. Photo: Ruth Pollard

Cairo: As militants closed in around the Kurdish capital last month, prompting panicked families to flee and exposing just how stretched the region's Peshmerga forces were, it was clear the dream of an independent Kurdistan would be put on hold once more.

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