Bafel Talabani, the current leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), met with Mazloum Abdi, the commander-in-chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Northern Syria, PUKMedia reported on Tuesday.
Wahab Halabjay, the Director General of the Counter-Terrorism Group (CTG) in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), was also present in the meeting.
“The political situation in West Kurdistan and the KRI, as well as developments in the Kurdish political movement were discussed, and the need to resolve issues peacefully was emphasized by the sides,” PUKMedia said.
Welcoming Bafel Talabani’s visit to the region, Abdi stated that they will never forget the PUK’s steadfast support over the years, in particular the CTG’s crucial contribution to the military and security operations against the Islamic State (ISIS).
“We spare no effort to resolve the problems faced by Kurds in the region, and we do our best to protect our freedom and our rights,” Abdi said.
Talabani expressed PUK’s dedication to finding a peaceful solutions to the problems, adding:
“Our relations with the West [Kurdistan] will certainly continue and develop further. The PUK considers itself the servant of all Kurds. Being Kurds is our pride, and our survival depends on our unity (…) The protection of Kurdish rights, culture, and language in the area is one of the West’s [West Kurdistan] most crucial missions, and we are delighted to assist you in this.”
He continued:
“The initiative of the PUK aims to promote Kurdish unity, our solidarity in the face of critical situations, and the defense and implementation of our rights. If we are to maintain harmonious ties, peace and unity should serve as the cornerstone of our relations with our neighboring and allying nations. This is President Mam Jalal’s [Iraq’s former president and PUK’s co-founder and long time leader Jalal Talabani] legacy, and we will uphold it.”
About PUK and SDF
PUK is one of the two most influential political parties in the KRI, Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) being the other one.
SDF is the armed force of the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), and is a part of the US-led international coalition that fights ISIS in Syria.
Source: Gerçek News
