Jalal Talabani

Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Jalal Talabani

Role / Field:

Iraqi Kurdish politician, founder of PUK, served as President of Iraq (2005-2014).

Born:

1933-11-12

Died:

2017-10-03

Century / Era:

1933s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Jalal Talabani (Kurdish: جەلال تاڵەبانی, romanized: Celal Talebanî, Arabic: جلال طالباني, romanized: Jalāl Ṭālabānī; 1933 – 3 October 2017) was an Iraqi Kurdish politician who served as the 6th president of Iraq from 2005 to 2014, as well as the president of the Governing Council of Iraq. Talabani was the founder and secretary-general of one of the main Kurdish political parties, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). He was a prominent member of the Interim Iraq Governing Council, which was established following the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Talabani was an advocate for Kurdish rights and democracy in Iraq for more than 50 years. Talabani was born in Kelkan village, and his father was Sheikh Husameddin Nurullah, from the Talabani branch of the Zangana tribe, while his mother was from the Mangur tribe.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He belonged to the Koy Sanjaq branch of the Talabani family, which earlier produced many leading social figures including the poet Riza Talabani, and former National Democratic Party member Hasan Talabani and Mukarram Talabani, a prominent member of the Communist party. Talabani received his elementary and intermediate school education in Koy Sanjaq and his high school education in Erbil and Kirkuk. When he was in his teens, Talabani's peers began referring to him as "Mam" Jalal, with "mam" meaning "paternal uncle" in Kurdish; he was subsequently addressed by Kurds as such. In 1953, he began to study law at the Baghdad University. He had to flee into exile in Syria in 1956, in order to prevent an arrest for being involved in activities of the Kurdish Students Union.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Residing in Damascus, he was involved in the establishment the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Syria (KDPS). He later returned to Iraq and gained a degree in 1959. After completing his studies at the Baghdad University, he entered the Iraqi Army, where he served shortly as a tank unit commander. In the early 1960s, he was made the head of the Polit bureau of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). When in September 1961, the Kurdish uprising for the rights of the Kurds in northern Iraq was declared against the Baghdad government of Abd al-Karim Qasim, Talabani took charge of the Kirkuk and Silemani battlefronts and organized and led separatist movements in Mawat, Rezan and the Qaradagh regions.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1933 (1933-11-12): Birth of Jalal Talabani — Iraqi Kurdish politician, founder of PUK, served as President of Iraq (2005-2014).
2. 1953: 1953 Milestone — In 1953, he began to study law at the Baghdad University.
3. 1956: 1956 Milestone — He had to flee into exile in Syria in 1956, in order to prevent an arrest for being involved in activities of the Kurdish Students Union.
4. 1959: 1959 Milestone — He later returned to Iraq and gained a degree in 1959.
5. 1961: 1961 Milestone — When in September 1961, the Kurdish uprising for the rights of the Kurds in northern Iraq was declared against the Baghdad government of Abd al-Karim Qasim, Talabani took charge of the Kirkuk and Silemani battlefronts and organized and led separatist movements in Mawat, Rezan and the Qaradagh regions.
6. 2003: 2003 Milestone — He was a prominent member of the Interim Iraq Governing Council, which was established following the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
7. 2017 (2017-10-03): Passing & Historical Legacy — Jalal Talabani passed away on 2017-10-03, leaving an enduring historical legacy.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Jalal Talabani

True or False: “Jalal Talabani was only involved in Kurdish politics after the 2003 US invasion of Iraq.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): He began his political activities much earlier, notably being involved in the establishment of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Syria (KDPS) while in exile.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Jalal Talabani