Iraqi Kurdistan opposition figure Talabani arrested after clashes in Sulaymaniyah

Arrest warrants issued for Talabani and other opposition figures over alleged crimes

A senior politician in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region was arrested on Friday after a night of heavy clashes in the northern city of Sulaymaniyah between his supporters and security forces.

Lahur Jangi Talabani, a top opposition figure who is a former member of one of the ruling parties in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), was arrested at a hotel in the city following a court order.

Mr Talabani's brothers Polad and Aso were also arrested, as well as a number of his guards. Rebwar Hajj Ghani, who commands Mr Talabani's armed group, surrendered and switched allegiances, officials in Sulaymaniyah told The National.

Kurdistan security authorities said in a statement that three members of the security forces were killed and 19 wounded in the clashes that lasted for more than three hours. It confirmed the arrest of Mr Talabani and several others, describing them as “outlaws”.

Mr Talabani is also a former head of the KRG's Zanyari intelligence service and was a founding member of the counter-terrorism group set up by the regional government. He was one of the leading figures in Iraq's battle against ISIS.

A senior adviser to the Kurdistan region's President Nechirvan Barzani told The National that Mr Talabani's arrest was related to a power struggle within the ruling Patriotic Union of Kurdistan party (PUK).

He said Mr Talabani, who is now a leader of the opposition People's Front party, may face “political isolation, the dismantling of his forces and potentially being expelled from Kurdistan”.

A spokesman for the Sulaymaniyah court, Judge Salah Hassan, told Kurdish media outlet Rudaw that arrest warrants were issued for Mr Talabani and other opposition figures due to alleged crimes, without providing details.

An official from the Kurdish city told The National Mr Talabani faces charges of “fraud and swindling”.

The Prime Minister of the KRG, Masrour Barzani, said his office was working with all parties to end the clashes in Sulaymaniyah.

“These disturbances and clashes occurring in Sulaymaniyah are targeting the security and stability of the Kurdistan Region. Therefore, it is necessary for all parties to take responsibility and implement those agreements, ensuring that the youth of this country are not sacrificed,” Mr Barzani said in a statement issued early on Friday.

“Any issues or grievances must be addressed through legal means."

Iraq's federal government in Baghdad also warned that the rule of law must be respected, after the “unfortunate events” in Sulaymaniyah.

The authorities need to "take legal and judicial action in accordance with the provisions of the constitution, and in a manner consistent with the principles of justice and the rule of law”, Sabah Al Numan, spokesman for the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, said.

He also stressed the “importance of implementing these measures with complete impartiality and transparency, away from any armed manifestations or attempts to intimidate citizens”.

Mr Talabani was the co-president of the PUK alongside his cousin Bafel Talabani until 2021. The party controls Sulaymaniyah.

A power struggle between the two pushed his cousin to declare himself the sole leader of the PUK following the dismissal of figures close to Mr Talabani, who was later expelled from the party.

After being expelled, Mr Talabani established his own party and participated in elections for the regional parliament last year, winning two of the 100 seats in the house.

He began to expand his influence, establishing his own special forces and acquiring significant financial interests in the region.

He also started building relationships with the PUK's rival, the Kurdistan Democratic Party, and attempted to forge ties with Iran and Baghdad, which did not sit well with his cousin.

Mr Talabani is the second opposition figure to be arrested in Sulaymaniyah this month, following the detention of New Generation party leader Shaswar Abdulwahid on August 12.

Mr Abdulwahid's party holds 15 of the 100 seats in the autonomous northern region's parliament.

His detention stemmed from a six-month prison sentence handed down in absentia after he repeatedly failed to attend hearings in a defamation case filed by a former member of parliament.