Search｜Photos & Images & Videos｜KYODO NEWS IMAGES INC

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

The Ancient Guardians of Bakhazner - Iraq

In the isolated village of Bakhazner in the Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, two sisters, Mestan Rasul Muhiddin and Gustan Rasul Muhiddin, both over 85 years old, continue to embody a vanishing way of life. Born and raised in Bakhazner, the sisters have spent their entire lives on their family's land, witnessing decades of regional transformation without ever leaving. Living independently, they dedicate their lives to the arduous tasks of livestock farming and shepherding, traditions passed down through generations. Their self-sufficiency and deep-rooted connection to the rugged Zagros foothills landscape provide a rare insight into traditional Kurdish pastoral life, which is under threat from modernisation and rural-to-urban migration. Despite their advanced age, the Rasul Muhiddin sisters remain the primary caretakers of their flock, serving as the living memory of their community, on January 3, 2026, in Taq Taq district of the Kurdistan Region, in Iraq. Photo by Othman Sabur Rashid/ABACAPR

E

Livestock farmers in northern Yemen face mounting difficulties

STORY: Livestock farmers in northern Yemen face mounting difficulties DATELINE: July 31, 2022 LENGTH: 00:03:41 LOCATION: HAJJAH, Yemen CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of children tending livestock in the desert in Midi district in Hajjah province, Yemen 2. various of farmers taking care of their livestock 3. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): ABDO YOUSSEF FAYED, Local farmer STORYLINE: In Midi, a coastal district in Yemen's northwestern province of Hajjah, after months of feeding, shepherding, and taking care of their livestock, the farmers discovered that selling their herds was the biggest challenge in the war-ravaged country. Livestock farmers have to deal with soaring prices of fodders and a severe fuel shortage. Now they are under additional strains as a result of the shrinking demand brought on by widespread poverty. Moreover, the civil war and the chaos and division it causes have made it difficult for livestock or grain to circulate in the poor Arab country. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): ABDO YOUSSEF FAYED, Loca