SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Veteran Kurdish politician and former senior official of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) Sheikh Adham Barzani on Saturday said that he wants to open a headquarters in Sulaimani.
President of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) Bafel Jalal Talabani has welcomed Barzani in Sulaimani’s Dabashan, a statement from Talabani’s media office said.
In a meeting which was attended by Kurdistan Region vice President Jafar Sheikh Mustafa, where the sides discussed the latest steps toward the new government formation in Iraq.
Moreover, it stressed the integration of the national efforts for the sake of safeguarding the national and constitutional rights of the Kurdish people, the statement said.
In the meeting, Barzani expressed his concerns over martyring an officer and injuring several members including the commander of the Kurdistan Commando Forces.
Back then, Commander Convoy of the Kurdistan Commando forces struck an improvised explosive device (IED) in Sulaimani’s Garmian administration, in the midst of an anti-ISIS operation during the morning hours of Wednesday in the administration’s Qum Palik village.
The explosion resulted in martyring officer of the Commando Forces Zuher Mohammed and injuring four others including the Commander, Akam Omar.
Furthermore, veteran politician, Barzani has revealed the aim of his visit. “I want to open a headquarters in Sulaimani and continue my work,” he said.
In return, PUK President Bafel Talabani extended his words of gratitude for Barzani’s keenness over the explosion incident which targeted the Commando Forces.
“PUK’s commanders are the son of the days of difficulty, they were always in the frontlines of the battles, protecting the Kurdistan Region with their blood,” Talabani told Barzani amid the meeting. “PUK proud of their martyring for Kurdistan not fleeing or escaping the dangers,” he added.
Kurdistan Commando Forces is a special force affiliated with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), it played a major role during the Islamic State war in Iraq since 2014, and received training from the U.S.-led collation forces, particularly France and Germany.
Speaking about Barzani’s new step to open his headquarters Talabani said that he welcomes Barzani’s “initiative”. “I stand with your new step, Sulaimani is the city of different voices and colors.”
He also likened the PUK to the “engine” for Sulaimani’s intellectual and democratic movement. “No one is a guest in this city, but it’s the house for every Kurd.”
“Throughout history, Sulaimani was the foundation for different political thoughts and has always rejected autocracy, this was late leader Mam Jala’s belief and we will continue this national policy,” President Talabani Continued.
Barzani is a former senior official of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). He has held several senior positions in the ranks of the KDP and was the former President of the KDP leadership council in Sulaimani. However, In a “protest” to the KDP policies, Barzani announced his resignation from the party in April 2021.
Barzani is also the cousin of the KDP President and former president of the Kurdistan Region Masoud Barzani.
Barzani Saturday’s meeting with Talabani marked the second one. He was recently received by Talabani in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, on October 12.
Moreover, he also paid a visit to the tomb of the former Iraqi president and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) Secretary-General Mam Jalal Talabani on Tuesday, laying a wreath on his tomb and writing a note of condolence, saying “Mam Jalal’s farewell left a huge gap in Iraq, Kurdistan, and the wider Middle East.”
Late Kurdish leader President Mam Jalal died on October 3, 2017, in Germany.
“I was attended at the tomb to express loyalty for Mam Jalal who is a prominent leader of the Kurdish independence movement,” Barzani wrote.
