Ebrahim Alipour, a prominent Kurdish photographer from the city of Baneh in Eastern Kurdistan, has won the prestigious 2025 World Press Photo Award for his long-term and impactful project “Bullets Have No Borders” in the category of West, Central, and South Asia. This collection offers a rare, human, and profound insight into the lives of the kolbars — Kurdish border couriers who transport goods across dangerous mountain paths along the borders of Iran, Iraq, and Turkey to provide for their families.

Alipour’s photographs vividly portray the suffering, resilience, and constant threat of death that the kolbars face daily. Kolbari is a direct result of decades of structural discrimination, economic and social apartheid by the Islamic Republic against the people of Eastern Kurdistan, and the outcome of systematic deprivation policies and investment bans imposed on the region. While kolbars consider their work a legitimate means of survival, the Iranian government accuses them of smuggling goods — without ever issuing a legal ruling against them in a fair court of law.

Armed forces of the Islamic Republic frequently open fire on these border laborers without warning and often with complete impunity. According to human rights reports, hundreds of kolbars are killed or injured each year as a result of direct gunfire by the military. In this project, Alipour not only documents this painful reality, but also brings to light the silenced voices of a generation of people.

The World Press Photo jury praised Alipour’s long-term dedication to documenting this human tragedy and his courage in risking personal safety to tell this story. They emphasized that each of his images reveals a new layer of the complex realities of the kolbars’ lives and invites the audience to reflect deeply on borders, deprivation, and humanity.

Alipour’s works have previously been exhibited internationally, earning him several awards including “Picture of the Year Asia 2024” and the “Canon CSDP Grand Prize 2023.” He is also a member of the VII Mentor Program and was nominated for the prestigious Joop Swart Masterclass in 2024.

The World Press Photo Contest, which celebrates its 70th anniversary this year, continues to support the power of visual journalism to enhance global awareness, foster intercultural dialogue, and shed light on hidden truths.