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The Treaty of Lausanne post World War I divides Ottoman Empire region into Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria, leaving out a previously promised designated region for the Kurds. The Kurdish people become divided among the different new countries.
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Iranian Kurds attempt to create their independent region of Mahabad Republic which is soon suppressed by the Iran Government. Iraqi Kurds, led by Mustafa Barzani, found the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) to work towards creating an independent Kurdistan state.
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Iraqi Kurds revolt against the government; the conflict eventually results in a peace agreement which grants the Kurds some autonomy.
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Leader Jalal Talabani of the KDP founds alternative group the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) which results in the start of continual conflict.
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Kurds in Turkey, led by Abdullah Ocalan, create the Kurdistan Worker Party (PKK) to work towards Kurdish independence.
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Iraq attacks Iraqi Kurds with chemicals known as the Anfal Campaign because the Kurds had supported Iran during the Iran-Iraq War. Thousands die and 1.5 million leave for Turkey.
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Iraqi Kurds fight the Saddam Hussein regime after the Persian Gulf War with the support of the United States but thousands of Kurds are killed as a result. A non-fly zone is designated over the Kurdish region of Iraq by the United Nations to help protect them, allowing Kurds to gain an autonomous region.
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Turkey attacks PKK in Iraq.
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The Turkish government gives Kurds limited autonomy but bans their political parties. The Turkish government suppresses Kurds with force and violence.
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The KDP and PUK fight for control of the Kurdish independent region of Iraq
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The KDP and PKK reach a peace agreement, ending their violent conflict.