Photojournalism nominee

Since 2014, Peshmerga forces function as the main defense against ISIS expansion in Iraq. At the moment, their fighters are preparing for the massive offensive to retake the key city of Mosul, and tighten the noose on Daesh morale. Even after two years of intense combat, they stand poised on the front-lines ready to engage the enemy. A fearless element, undaunted by an uncertain future; they understand their position as noble sentries in the Middle East’s ongoing forever war. This series of photos includes Kurdish positions near Bashiq and Kirkuk, that hold a defensive line against ISIS. The desolate battle space of no man’s land ranges from as far as 2 kilometers, to as close as 800 meters at each position.