Roj Bash Kurdistan

PUK Releases Talabani Video, a Dozen Wounded by Celebratory Gunfire


PUK leader Jalal Talabani shortly before casting his vote in Germany, April 28. Photo: Kurdsat TV

SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region—Media outlets of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) released on Monday evening a video footage of party leader Jalal Talabani, casting his vote in Iraq’s parliamentary elections in Germany.

The video shows Talabani surrounded by members of his party and the staff of the Iraqi election commission as he cast his vote on a wheelchair in Berlin.

Talabani has been recuperating from a stroke in a German hospital since December 2012.

He was elected Iraq’s president in 2005.

Members and supporters of the PUK welcomed the video with celebratory gunfire across Kurdistan, particularly in Sulaimani, Kirkuk and the Garmiyan region.

According to Rudaw correspondent in Sulaimani, 11 people among them a woman and a child have been wounded by stray bullets.

One of the wounded is a student at the American University in Iraq-Sulaimani.

Meanwhile, Najmaldin Karim, one of Talabani’s doctors and senior PUK member told Rudaw on Monday that Talabani’s condition has improved and that, “I am certain that Talabani will return,” to Kurdistan sometime soon.

Karim who is authorized by his party to speak on Talabani’s condition said that it was time they made preparations for his return.

“Talabani’s condition is very stable,” said Karim.

According to Karim Talabani is now receiving physical therapy.

http://rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/280420141

I was delighted to see Jalal Talabani looking so cheerful - though obviously still confined to his wheelchair - he does look good

The chair looked as though it could be one of those electric wheelchairs as he appeared to have a stick of some sort in his right hand - could that have been a control stick - he appears to be alert and well aware of his surroundings

He was nodding in answer to some question and holding up his finger to confirm that he had voted - but no sign as to whether or not he has his voice back yet

Let us all hope and pray that he continues to recover

I fear the video is being used for propaganda purposes and that is rather disrespectful to such a wonderful older-statesman

Unfortunately some assholes in Silêmanî celebrated the video by shooting gunfires which wounded 30 persons (among them a student seriously hit in the head).

That custom of gunfire slowly decreases, except from security forces, I guess, which is a paradox.

Later a suicide attack killed around 20 people in Khanaqin, making the victims of joyful gunfires more disgusting : there are many occasions to be killed in the current political turmoil, so no need to murder a young girl just because you enjoy to watch an old man shaking in his own wheelchair.