Word: peshmerga
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Dates: during 1991-1991
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...north, things were different, and for almost a month the Kurds lived a dream. An uprising that began on March 4 in the town of Rania spread like a sandstorm to engulf all Iraqi Kurdistan. The peshmerga (those who face death), as the rebel fighters are called, did not need to capture towns, as local Iraqi Kurdish militiamen spontaneously joined the rebellion. Fighter Kamal Kirkuki repeated joyfully to all who would listen, "We Kurds are finally free." Jails were thrown open; prisoners set at liberty. Kurds spoke openly of their travails without fear of retribution from Baghdad's once omnipresent...
...their latest campaign the rebels claim that in addition to their 30,000 fighters, called the peshmerga (those who face death), they have on their side some 20,000 defectors from the regular military and another 200,000 militiamen. But these figures are believed to be greatly exaggerated. "If you add them up," says a senior British diplomat, "the fighting should have ended some time...