ABSTRACT
The Kurdish factor is geopolitically important in the present phase of regional developments. It has shifted from an internal political issue in countries with a Kurdish minority into an international problem. Thus, it is now a political tool in interstate relations, manipulated by all involved countries and by Kurdish political and military organizations. In terms of religion, the majority of Turkey's Kurds are Sunni Muslims and followers of the Shafi'i madhab. In Kurdish society, the mystical dimensions of Sunni Islam, such as the tariqat and orders of Sufi religious philosophy, were historically common and are still present today. There is significant academic and political discourse concerning the perception of Yezidi identity, whether it is a separate ethno-religious group or just a religion. Yezidis are the largest ethno-religious minority group in Armenia. Their community is a conservative and rural one which draws attention from scholars due to its well-preserved religious and oral traditions.
