Bafel Jalal Talabani, President of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), marked the 35th anniversary of the Kurdish uprising with a message honoring the victims of the revolt and urging political unity in the Kurdistan Region.

In a statement issued by the PUK president’s press office, Talabani congratulated the Kurdish people on the anniversary and paid tribute to those killed during the uprising.

“I bow my head in respect to the memory of our martyrs and pledge to always continue on their path to serve and protect our people and our land,” Talabani said.

The PUK president described the uprising as a historic turning point for the Kurdish people, noting that the revolt began in the town of Rania and marked the beginning of a new political era.

Talabani said the PUK, which he described as the architects of the uprising, takes pride in the role played by Kurdish political forces and citizens who participated in the movement.

Reflecting on current political challenges, Talabani called for greater unity among Kurdish political actors and urged efforts to form a government that serves the public and responds to citizens’ needs.

“On this day, it is the responsibility of us all to move forward together with a national spirit, rebuild a unified voice and discourse for our people, and form a government that serves the people,” he said.
Talabani also warned of regional instability and stressed the need to safeguard security in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.

“In this sensitive and unstable situation in our region, we are making every effort to safeguard the country’s stability and prevent conflicts from unfolding on our soil,” he said.

The PUK president concluded his message by honoring the families of those who died during the uprising and other conflicts in the Kurdistan Region.

The uprising is considered a historic turning point in the Kurdish struggle, laying the foundation for the establishment of the Kurdistan Region. Beginning in Ranya on March 5, it reached its peak on March 21, 1991, Newroz, when the city of Kirkuk was liberated. With that, all of Southern Kurdistan was freed from Ba’athist control.