Kurdistan Future Movement: Weapons as a Temporary Duty, Not an Ideology
Our armed forces operate under the name:
“National Defense Unit of the Kurdistan Future Movement.”
The Kurdistan Future Movement is founded on a simple yet firm principle:
we do not believe in weapons as a solution to political and social problems.
Our vision is a Kurdistan—and an Iran—where law, justice, and civil governance prevail, and where no armed force—state or non-state—is needed to protect ordinary people.
However, history and reality compel us to act with honesty.
In environments where law and order have collapsed, where civilians face violence, displacement, and systematic abuse,
we consider the protection of civilian life a humanitarian duty.
The Kurdistan Future Movement acknowledges the temporary necessity of a defensive armed force.
For this reason, the Future Movement Defense Unit (National Defense Unit of the Future Movement) is considered necessary.
All defense units operate directly under the authority of the General Leadership of the Future Movement, in coordination with the central command.
Our armed forces are:
- Not permanent
- Not ideological
- Not instruments of power
They exist solely to protect life, and they will lay down their weapons the moment civilian safety can be guaranteed through legitimate and lawful institutions.
Weapons in the hands of the Future Movement are not a belief — protection is a responsibility.
We reject militarism.
We reject violence.
We reject intimidation and terror against civilians in all forms and consider it illegitimate.
However, when civilians face immediate threats to their lives—
when no law, no legitimate court, and no effective civil authority exists—
the protection of life becomes a moral obligation.
In such situations, rejecting weapons and remaining passive is not neutrality—it is negligence.
Our Core Principles for Armed Forces
- Defense, not aggression
- Protection, not politics
- Temporary, not permanent
- Weapons are used only to protect civilians, not to govern or impose authority
- Grounded in international humanitarian law
Protection of Civilians
- Violence against non-combatants is prohibited
- Respect for medical personnel is mandatory
- Commitment to minimizing harm
- Strict adherence to the laws of armed conflict
Clear principles:
- Civilians are never targets
- Collective punishment is prohibited
- Arbitrary detention is rejected
- Human dignity must never be violated
- Armed presence exists only where law and order do not exist
Where We Do NOT Operate
The Kurdistan Future Movement does not operate in areas where:
- Courts function effectively
- Civil police protect citizens
- Rule of law is respected
- Democratic governance and accountability exist
In such societies, weapons have no place.
Therefore, our armed forces are geographically and temporally limited,
operating only where civilian lives are at risk.
Conditions for Bearing Arms
- Must be over 18 years old
- Must have no criminal record
- Must pass psychological and physical evaluations
- Must believe in civil values and sign the Future Movement program
Oath of the Defense Unit Member
As a member of the Future Movement Defense Unit, I swear:
By my conscience, by my belief,
By my conscience, by my belief,
By my conscience, by my belief,
That my weapon shall be used only for defense.