He added that Khamis al-Khanjar told him that the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that “Lahur was finished”, and "I told him, "What are you going to do? Are you going to throw missiles at me? If that's the case, let the missile be big to lessen the pain."

In another part of his speech, Sheikh Jangi said with watery eyes, "I'm sorry... I did not imagine that my cousin would pull a poisoned dagger on me," referring to the joint president, Bafel Talabani.

Sheikh Jangi also announced during his meeting with the families of the martyrs and the Anfal victims in the city of Sulaimani that he will announce tonight to the Kurdish people, that he will not leave his position except by a decision of the PUK presidency, Shafaq News reported.

Earlier, a conflict raged between the main leaders of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan.

Bafel Talabani and his cousin Lahur Sheikh Jangi Talabani, the PUK’S co-chairmen threatened each other of military confrontation.

Both put on a heightened military state of alert to impose the will on the other side.

The dispute has been irritating after Bafel Talabani decided to appoint a person of his side as the head of Zanyari security apparatus to lead the fight against terrorism.

The apparatus is considered the most powerful Kurdish intelligence and security service. It was led by Lahur Sheikh Jangi Talabani.

In February 2020, Bafel Talabani and Lahur Sheikh Jangi Talabani were elected as co-chairs of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, a first step of its kind for Kurdish parties.

It was agreed that the son of the Founder, Bafel, would conduct politics, while Sheikh Jangi would take responsibility for security files.

But it appears that Bafel's latest move will assert control over the security institutions within the PUK's sphere of influence.

During Jalal Talabani’s illness, Lahur Sheikh Jangi gradually took defacto steps to control social and youth fronts in addition to security institutions in the Party, until Bafel was unable to remove him, and eventually agreed with him to share the leadership.

However, Bafel Talabani’s move, supported by veteran leaders in the Party, pulled the rug out from Sheikh Jangi, and stripped the power over the institutions that had been under his control for years.

Reporter's code: 50101