14 Facts About Bafel Talabani

Bafel Talabani is the older son of former PUK leader Jalal Talabani.

Bafel Talabani is credited as being a dealmaker and a political fixer within the party, as well as being able to move smoothly across partisan divides in the best interests of Kurdistan.

In 2016, Bafel Talabani headed PUK's decision-making body and accompanied PUK's delegation to Iran for talks.

Bafel Talabani is claimed to have had a decisive role in bringing back traditional PUK leaders as a high-ranking member of the Talabani family.

Bafel Talabani is credited with de-escalating PUK tensions, restoring a joint leadership of PUK with Gorran Movement and preparing a unified response to Masoud Barzani, former President of Iraqi Kurdistan and leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party.

Bafel Talabani blamed the loss of Kirkuk and oil-rich regions on the decision of the Kurds to go ahead with a referendum on independence.

Bafel Talabani called the decision a "colossal mistake", saying a US proposal to postpone the referendum by two years should have been accepted.

Bafel Talabani purportedly ordered his military forces to withdraw from the region, allowing the Iraqi Army and the Popular Mobilization Forces to establish control of the region.

Bafel Talabani rejected as "baseless" claims that this was part of a deal he had brokered with Baghdad and Tehran, arguing that his forces had indeed fought and lost soldiers but decided to withdraw because of too many losses had occurred within the ranks of the Peshmerga.

Bafel Talabani envisioned troops from the American-led coalition against ISIS to take over a large military base near Kirkuk, along with federal forces and Kurdish forces loyal to his father's party.

Bafel Talabani is the son of Jalal Talabani, former secretary-general of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and Hero Ibrahim Ahmed.

Bafel Talabani is the older brother of Qubad Talabani and a cousin of Lahur Talabany.

Bafel Talabani was married to Lava the daughter of Mala Bakhtiyar, considered a historical mastermind of the PUK.

Bafel Talabani divorced his wife based on articles in XOR and recently Lava Malla Bakhtiar married American Kurdish Professor at Harvard.