ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) has removed the head of the party’s intelligence agency seven months after he assumed office amid internal party tensions.
A source from within the PUK confirmed to Rudaw English on Thursday that the party had removed Azhy Amin from office in recent days.
Amin was appointed as head of the PUK intelligence in early July when tensions rose between the party’s co-chairs.
Bafel Talabani, at the time, removed the head of the party’s intelligence agency and counter-terrorism units who were affiliated with co-chair Lahur Talabany and replaced them with people loyal to himself, including Amin.
At the time, Bafel Talabani said the shake-up was needed to combat corruption.
After months of tensions, Lahur Talabany and three other party members were formally expelled from the PUK early November through a decision made by rival co-chair Bafel Talabani and his allies in the PUK.
The ousted co-chair said that the decision did not align with the PUK’s bylaws.
After Lahur Talabany was forced out, Bafel Talabani claimed he had been poisoned by people close to his rival. Mala Bakhtiar, a senior PUK official and father-in-law to Bafel Talabani, also claimed that he had been poisoned and received treatment in Germany.
Lahur Talabany at the time said the party must “avoid these accusations” and called on the Leadership Council to convene in the near future in order to resolve the rift, saying “if there is an issue within the party, then that must be resolved through the party’s official organs.”
