Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 5 OcTOber 2017
Iraqi Kurds mourn death of Talabani, symbol of unity IS latches on to
global attacks as it
By S. GEORGE end. zani, described him as a ing the struggle against fights to survive
Associated Press Following news of Talaba- “comrade” in a statement dictatorship to the halls of
IRBIL, Iraq (AP) — ni’s passing, leaders across posted to Twitter, also on power in Baghdad in the By ZEINA KARAM
Flags flew at half-staff Just hours after Stephen
across Iraq’s northern au- Paddock unleashed a hail
tonomous Kurdish region of bullets on a country mu-
on Wednesday as Iraqi sic festival in Las Vegas, the
Kurds began observing a Islamic State group issued
week of mourning follow- a flurry of statements claim-
ing the death of the coun- ing the 64-year-old gun-
try’s former president, Jala- man as one of its own. The
la Talabani, once a symbol quick responsibility claim
of unity. discounted by FBI officials
Talabani’s death at a Ber- is the latest in a series of
lin hospital on Tuesday af- dubious or seemingly fake
ternoon, at the age of 83, IS claims, reflecting the ex-
came just days after the tremists’ eagerness to latch
Iraqi Kurds’ controversial onto global attacks it can
referendum on indepen- tout as its own as it fights for
dence that has angered survival in its Mideast base.
Baghdad and the region. Three years after it de-
A longtime Kurdish guerrilla clared its so-called Islamic
leader, Talabani in 2005 caliphate across huge
became the head of state swaths of Syria and Iraq,
of what was supposed to IS has lost most of the ter-
be a new Iraq two years In this April 6, 2005 photo, Kurdish youngsters celebrate the election of then Iraqi President Jalal ritory and is on the run in
after the country was freed Talabani, in downtown Sulaimaniyah, Iraq. Talabani, a lifelong fighter for Iraq’s Kurds who rose its few remaining bastions.
from the rule of Saddam to become the country’s president, presenting himself as a unifying father figure to temper the Far from the confident pro-
Hussein. potentially explosive hatreds among Kurds, Shiites and Sunnis has died in a Berlin hospital at the paganda it pumped out
He was seen as a unify- age of 83. (AP Photo/Sasa Kralj) when it controlled a pseu-
ing elder statesman who do state, the group now
could soothe tempers Iraq and beyond released Tuesday. Barzani also ex- past decade, ‘Mam Jalal’ justifies its losses to its sup-
among Iraq’s Shiites, Sunnis statements expressing their tended his condolences worked for and promoted porters and urges them not
and Kurds. condolences. to the Kurdish people and national rights,” said Jan to give up the fight.“It re-
Talabani suffered a stroke Talabani was “a long Talabani’s family. Kubis, the U.N.’s special ally reflects the existential
in 2012, after which he was standing figure in the fight The United Nations de- representative to Iraq in crisis facing ISIS,” said Lon-
moved to Germany for against dictatorship and a scribed Talabani as “a a written statement late don-based Mideast ana-
treatment and faded from sincere partner in building leading voice of modera- Tuesday night, using Ta- lyst Fawaz Gerges, using an
Iraq’s political life. a new democratic Iraq,” tion, dialogue, mutual un- labani’s Kurdish nickname alternate acronym for the
Sadi Ahmed Pire, a spokes- Iraqi Prime Minister Haider derstanding and respect that translates to Uncle group.Investigators are still
man for the Kurdish party al-Abadi said in a state- in Iraq’s contemporary Jalal. looking for clues to explain
which Talabani headed, ment posted to Facebook politics” and a “patriot of But the Sept. 25 Kurdish what drove Paddock, a
said on Wednesday that on Tuesday. unique wisdom and fore- referendum reflected how high-stakes gambler and
Talabani’s burial would The Kurdish regional presi- sight.” hopes for a unified Iraq retired accountant, to
take place in the city of Su- dent and longtime Ta- “From the battlefront have faded over the years. gun down 59 people from
laimaniyah over the week- labani rival, Masoud Bar- trenches in the 1980s dur- q his high-rise hotel room in

Iran, Turkey stress opposition to Kurdish state the worst mass shooting
in modern U.S. history. The
IS statement did not pro-
vide a shred of evidence
By AMIR VAHDAT Rouhani said at a news dum is illegitimate.”“There use it to press for negotia- to support its claim that
Associated Press conference with Turkish is no country other than Is- tions on eventually forming he was a “soldier” from its
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — With President Recep Tayyip Er- rael that recognizes it. It is their own state.That has set ranks, saying only that the
Turkey’s president by his dogan. not possible for any deci- off alarm bells in Baghdad, man, who it identified by
side, Iranian President “The wrong decisions sion taken after discussions where the government the alleged pseudonym
Hassan Rouhani pledged made by some of the with Mossad to be legal,” has said it is determined to “Abu el-Bar al-Amriki,” had
Wednesday that they leaders of this region must Erdogan said, referring to prevent a breakup of the converted to Islam three
would ensure borders in the be compensated for by the Israeli spy agency.Er- country, and in Iraq’s neigh- years ago. The Associated
region remain unchanged them.” Rouhani said. “Tur- dogan added: “From this bors, Iran and Turkey, which Press reported the IS claim,
after the recent Kurdish in- key, Iran and Iraq have no moment onward, more de- fear the vote will fuel similar but noted the group pro-
dependence referendum choice but to take serious cisive steps will be taken. ambitions among their own vided no evidence of a
in Iraq. and necessary measures to As Iran and Turkey — and Kurdish populations.A flight link.Unlike previous attacks
Both Iran and Turkey op- protect their strategic goals the central government — ban halted all international claimed by IS, there is no
posed the referendum, in the region.” there are still heavier steps flights from servicing the indication Paddock had
which overwhelmingly “A development of this for us to take.” He did not Iraqi Kurdish territory’s air- religious or political incli-
passed last week, and sort will isolate the Kurdish elaborate.The nonbind- ports on Friday.Erdogan nations, nor did he leave
have sent troops to their regional government,” Er- ing referendum — in which later met with Iran’s Su- a video message of him-
borders with the Iraqi Kurd- dogan warned. “Our de- the Kurds voted more than preme Leader Ayatollah self pledging allegiance
ish region. Iraq’s central termination in this regard is 90 percent in favor of a Ali Khamenei, who said as some attackers have.
government also staunchly clear. We correspond with break with Iraq — will not the United States and un- Paddock killed himself as
opposed the vote. the central government in immediately result in in- named foreign powers police closed in, making
“We will not accept chang- Iraq and as far as we are dependence. But Kurdish “seek to establish a new Is- it easier for IS to make the
ing borders in the region,” concerned, this referen- leaders have said they will rael in the region.” q claim. q