The consensus among analysts in late 2021 was this:
In northern Iraq, near the border with Syria, the YBŞ (Yezidi forces loyal to the PKK) held a military parade. Rolling down a dusty road was a freshly painted T-34-85, complete with a Kurdish sun insignia and the name "Şehit Rustem" (Martyr Rustem) stenciled on the turret. This was not a battle-ready tank (the bore was plugged), but a propaganda symbol. It argued that the Kurdish struggle, like the Soviet struggle against fascism, was a fight of the people against superior foes.
As 2022 loomed, most analysts predicted the last T-34s would finally be retired, scrapped for metal, or placed in a museum in Qamishli. But given the cyclical nature of the Syrian and Iraqi conflicts, there is a quiet bet among defense contractors that the keyword might just appear in search logs again.
By Michael S. Derwish | Defense Analysis
