Kharaman Amjadi: My life at that time was heavily impacted by familial issues and deep conflicts with my spouse
IKHRW, in recent years, has developed a substantial database and intelligence on armed groups and their operations due to its extensive activities surrounding social and economic harms and the violations of human rights in Kurdish regions of Iran. Through specialized interviews with former members of Kurdish armed factions, it has cultivated a comprehensive understanding of the motivations leading Iranian nationals to enlist in these groups.
One of the primary reasons for the enlistment of Iranian Kurdish citizens in groups such as PKK and PAK is related to familial issues and the lack of support from their families. An individual escaping from their family, seeking to evade various economic, social, and familial challenges while facing a lack of familial backing, is compelled to exit the country illegally. Lured by false promises of higher income and the opportunity for work and life in Europe, they ultimately fall victim to manipulation and become integrated into the ranks of armed groups such as the PAK, PKK and PJAK.
Kharaman Amjadi, born in 1992 in Sanandaj, stated in an interview with IKHRW reporter, that due to familial issues, marital disputes, and the lack of parental support during her separation, she made the decision to join the PAK group following her brother’s enlistment. To achieve this objective, she established contact via social media (Instagram) with a member of the PAK group’s leadership (Amir Sahraei) and expressed her intent to enlist in the organization. However, Amir Sahraei postpones her membership due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic for a few months. Kharaman Amjadi, undeterred, contacts Shakhwan Sardashti, a member of the armed group Khabat, regarding her membership in the group. With the guidance and support of Shakhwan, as well as assistance from human traffickers, she ultimately exits the country through unofficial crossings in Sardasht in August 2020 and joins the Khabat group. Following a brief 20-day military and political training course, she is subsequently organized into the group’s security operations. After two months of service within the Khabat unit, she reiterated his request for membership in the Peshmerga forces and encountered significant conflicts with Khabat leadership. Consequently, she expressed regret over her affiliation with Khabat and submitted a request for discharge. However, she encounters opposition from the leaders of the group. Ultimately, with persistence and insistence, she succeeds in entering the PAK and, after more than three years of uncertainty and membership in the Khabat and PAK, on January 3, 2023, she enters Iran and surrenders to the border guard forces.
What factor led you to decide to join the terrorist group PAK? Were you aware of the background of this group? Did any members of your family have prior membership in there?
Kharaman Amjadi: My life at that time was heavily impacted by familial issues and deep conflicts with my spouse. I was experiencing significant feelings of isolation and despair, and these conditions, particularly the lack of support from my parents, placed considerable pressure on me. I had lost hope in everything and felt completely unsupported. After my brother joined PAK, I contemplated that perhaps this group could provide an escape from my challenges. I had no knowledge of PAK. I knew it was an armed group. My sole objective was to exit Iran.
How did you become acquainted with the Khabat group, and what aspects of this unit attracted you?
Kharaman Amjadi: After realizing that I could not join the PAK, I contacted Shakhwan Sardashti, a member of the Khabat faction. He informed me that the Khabat faction is not different from the PAK and that I could easily enlist there. These were highly appealing to me. The only positive aspect of Khabat was their promise to facilitate my reunion with my brother. Khabat is also an armed group.
What commitments were made to you that motivated you to join the Khabat forces?
Kharaman Amjadi: Shakhwan repeatedly assured me that joining the Khabat group represented a new opportunity and the chance to reunite with my brother. He would provide support, allowing me to commence a new life alongside my brother. However, I was unaware that I would be displaced in the mountainous terrain between Khabat and PAK for three years.
What experiences did you encounter after joining the Khabat group?
Kharaman Amjadi: After joining the Khabat group and completing military and political training courses, I faced significant pressure. These courses were rigorous and demanding, and after approximately 20 days, I was organized solely as a security force. After two months, I realized that the promises of Khabat and Shakhwan were not going to materialize, and I would not see my brother. However, Khabat paid no attention. After approximately two months, I decided that I could not remain in these conditions any longer. I contacted Rybaz Sharifi, who was one of the PAK personnel in the unit, and shared my situation with him. He assured me that he could assist me in exiting the unit and joining the PAK. Ultimately, after considerable conflict with the leadership of the unit, I separated from Khabat and entered PAK. After I joined PAK, I was initially hopeful that better conditions would be established for me. However, it did not take long for me to realize that the promises made to me were simply not materializing.
Which was more effective, PAK or Khabat?
Kharaman Amjadi: There was no difference between them! Both simply squandered my life and that of others like me. They were merely exploiting me and other members. After three and a half years of displacement in the mountains, I finally entered Iran in January 2023 and surrendered myself to the border security forces.
How has your life been after your redeployment to Iran?
Kharaman Amjadi: I am currently engaged in operations at a retail facility and am making efforts to stabilize my life back to normalcy. This experience has served as a valuable training exercise, allowing me to extract lessons from my past.
