ERBIL-Hewler, Kurdistan region ‘Iraq’,— The Iranian Kurdish Free Life Party of Kurdistan (PJAK), has signed the Deed of Commitment written by Swiss NGO Geneva Call affiliated to the United Nations. The deed promises to protect children in armed conflict.

On 25th April, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, a delegation from Geneva Call met with the highest representatives of the armed wing of PJAK to formalize the commitment.

Although a de facto bilateral cease-fire between Iran and PJAK has been in effect since 2011, the movement is still militarily active, operational and can call on several thousand combatants. Some are currently involved in the fight against Islamic State (IS) on Mount Sinjar.

The PJAK’s armed wing has reportedly used child soldiers in the past. The organization now promises to prevent children under 18 years old from taking part in hostilities.

“We will make every effort to ensure that all 16–18-year-olds are separated and kept away from combat zones,” said Aryan Are, a PJAK fighter.

Elisabeth Decrey Warner, Geneva Call’s president, added, “We are very pleased to have received this commitment today, from a region which is severely affected by armed conflict and violence.”

Since 2004 the PJAK took up arms for self-rule in Kurdistan province northwestern of Iran to establish a semi-autonomous regional entities or Kurdish federal states in Iran, similar to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in Iraq. Half the members of PJAK are women. The PJAK has about 3,000 armed militiamen.

PJAK is a member of the Kurdistan Democratic Confederation (Koma Civaken Kurdistan or KCK), which is an alliance of Kurdish groups and divisions led by an elected Executive Council.

Iran considers it a terrorist group and in 2010 sought Haji-Ahmadi’s extradition, but Berlin rejected this as he holds German citizenship.

The United States on February 4, 2009 added the Iranian Kurdish PJAK militant group opposed to Iran to its list of terrorist organizations.

Estimate to over 12 million Kurds live in Iranian Kurdistan.

In July 2014, the Syrian Kurdish militia aligned with the PKK, the People’s Protection Units (YPG), also sings convention to end the use of child soldiers.

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