PUK official: to avoid using “force of arms” to resolve disputes between the two co-chairs of the party

Shafaq News/ The Secretary of the PUK Presidency, Farid Asesard, stressed, on Tuesday, the need to avoid using “force of arms” to resolve disputes between the two co-chairs of the party, Lahore Sheikh Jangi, and Bafel Talabani.

In a statement, Asesard expressed concern about "the undesired internal situation of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, which has reached a dangerous stage and should not expand further."

He stressed the need to keep the PUK Media away from internal conflicts, stressing that the use of force of arms should not a solution to solve the internal partisan conflicts.

The conflict between the leaders of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), Bafel Talabani and Lahore Sheikh Jangi escalated to reach litigation, in addition to the deployment of army men affiliated with Sheikh Jangi in the streets of Al-Sulaymaniyah after a dispute with the PUK prominent leader, Jaafar Sheikh Mustafa.

This development prompted prominent Shiite political leaders to intervene, in an attempt to prevent the dispute between cousins.

A political source told Shafaq News Agency, that today, Tuesday, the Shiite leaders made contacts with the PUK leaders to stop the escalation in Al-Sulaymaniyah and prevent a possible armed confrontation.

Earlier, the co-chair of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Lahore Sheikh Jangi Talabani, said that he has decided to seek redress at law after his party failed to form an investigative committee into the accusations made against him, asserting that he will never leave the Kurdistan Region despite obvious efforts to exile him.

Yesterday, Monday, an official source in the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan revealed that the co-chair Lahore Sheikh Jangi was involved in corruption cases and legal irregularities, indicating that he abused power against partisan and public interests.

Lately, the conflict has raged between the main leaders of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan.

Bafel Talabani and his cousin Lahore Sheikh Jangi Talabani, the PUK’S co-chairmen threatened each other of military confrontation.

Both put on a heightened military state of alert to impose the will on the other side.

The dispute has been irritating after Bafel Talabani decided to appoint a person of his side as the head of the Zanyari security apparatus to lead the fight against terrorism.

The apparatus is considered the most powerful Kurdish intelligence and security service. It was led by Lahore Sheikh Jangi Talabani. 

In February 2020, Bafel Talabani and Lahore Sheikh Jangi Talabani were elected as co-chairs of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, the first step of its kind for Kurdish parties.

It was agreed that the son of the Founder, Bafel, would conduct politics, while Sheikh Jangi would take responsibility for security files.

But it appears that Bafel's latest move will assert control over the security institutions within the PUK's sphere of influence.

During Jalal Talabani’s illness, Lahore Sheikh Jangi gradually took defacto steps to control social and youth fronts in addition to security institutions in the Party, until Bafel was unable to remove him, and eventually agreed with him to share the leadership.

However, Bafel Talabani’s move, supported by veteran leaders in the Party, pulled the rug out from Sheikh Jangi and stripped the power over the institutions that had been under his control for years.