Khoshnaw to Talabani: “We Have Achievements to Be Proud Of — You Don’t”

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – In a sharp and forceful rebuttal that has laid bare the deep ideological and political fissures running through the Kurdistan Region's election campaign, Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw on Sunday issued a direct and scathing response to recent comments made by Bafel Talabani, President of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).

After Talabani, speaking at a campaign rally in the heart of the capital, dismissed the value of infrastructure in the absence of "freedom," Khoshnaw fired back, contrasting the PUK's lack of a developmental footprint with the extensive portfolio of strategic projects delivered by the KDP-led ninth cabinet of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

More pointedly, Khoshnaw questioned the PUK's very definition of freedom, caustically invoking the memory of the violent "Lalezar incident" in Sulaimani as a stark counterpoint to Talabani's lofty rhetoric.

The fiery exchange, coming in the heat of a competitive election season, has transformed the political discourse into a fundamental debate over the very nature of governance and progress in the Kurdistan Region.

It pits a narrative that champions tangible achievements in services and infrastructure against one that prioritizes an abstract, and now fiercely contested, notion of liberty, forcing voters to weigh two vastly different visions for the future of their nation.

A Challenge on KDP Turf and a Question of Freedom

The catalyst for this political firestorm was a speech delivered by Bafel Talabani at a PUK campaign rally in Erbil on Saturday, October 1. Addressing his supporters in the KDP's traditional stronghold, Talabani took direct aim at the development model that has reshaped the capital's skyline.

"Foreigners who come to Erbil are happy seeing the tall buildings and wide roads, but what is the value of wide roads and tall buildings when its people are not free?" he questioned. "What do you need wide roads for when you are being suffocated every day?"

He concluded with a call for his followers to project an intimidating presence: "Always shout and hold your heads high, because you are PUK and Kurds, people should be afraid of you. I promise we will stand behind you like Mount Safin."

The speech, with its dismissal of tangible progress and its provocative call for followers to be feared, drew an immediate and powerful rebuke from Erbil's Governor, Omed Khoshnaw.

In a statement that has since reverberated across the political landscape, Khoshnaw rejected Talabani's premise and turned his own words against him.

"You don't have projects to be proud of, we have projects and we are proud of them," he began, directly contrasting the PUK's record with that of the current government. He asserted that the PUK had been a partner in that same government, yet its "footprint was not visible" and it "had no projects" to show for its participation.

However, Khoshnaw's most potent counter-attack was aimed at Talabani's invocation of "freedom." With a sharp, critical tone, he offered a different interpretation of what that word might mean under PUK authority.

"When you talk about freedom," Khoshnaw charged, "you mean the Lalezar incident, the imprisonment of three party leaders, the market monopolies, and the seizures carried out by the party's companies."

The Ghost of Lalezar and a Contested Definition of Liberty

Khoshnaw's specific and pointed reference to the "Lalezar incident" instantly resurrected the memory of one of the most violent and controversial internal security operations in the Kurdistan Region's recent history, raising profound questions about the PUK's credibility as a champion of freedom and the rule of law.

 The incident, as extensively reported by Kurdistan24 at the time, was a pre-dawn military operation in August 2025 in Sulaimani, a city under PUK security control. The operation, which became known as the "Lalezar Hotel Clash," saw a large contingent of PUK forces, equipped with tanks, armored vehicles, and heavy weapons, launch a full-scale assault on the headquarters of Lahur Sheikh Jangi, Talabani's cousin and political rival, who had recently formed his own party, the People's Front.

The four-hour battle, which reportedly involved the use of Doshkas and rockets, transformed the Sarchnar neighborhood into a conflict zone and culminated in the arrest of Sheikh Jangi.

While official health authorities confirmed the deaths of three PUK force members, a source later told Kurdistan24 that the true number of victims among Sheikh Jangi's forces may have been as high as 30 to 40, a claim that, while unconfirmed, suggests a far bloodier confrontation than was publicly acknowledged.

Critically, the KRG in Erbil was kept in the dark. A statement from the Prime Minister's Office at the time confirmed that the Presidency of the Regional Government was "unaware of the operation until the final moments of the siege and attack" and that it was carried out unilaterally by "the forces of the PUK."

The Independent Human Rights Commission in the Kurdistan Region sharply condemned the operation as an inappropriate "military display" that sowed fear among the public, pointing out that arrest warrants are legally supposed to be executed by the police, "not counter-terrorism forces and other forces."

By invoking this incident, Khoshnaw directly challenged Talabani's narrative. He implicitly asked: how can a party that uses tanks and heavy weapons against a political rival in the heart of a major city, in an operation that bypassed the authority of the regional government, now stand in another city and lecture its people on the meaning of "freedom"?

The stark contrast between the PUK's actions in Sulaimani and its rhetoric in Erbil has become a central and explosive theme in the KDP's electoral counter-narrative.

A Government of Projects: The Tangible Legacy of the Ninth Cabinet

In stark opposition to Talabani's dismissal of "tall buildings and wide roads," Khoshnaw and the KDP have anchored their campaign in a vast and detailed portfolio of tangible achievements delivered by the Ninth Cabinet of the KRG, led by Prime Minister Masrour Barzani.

This record of development, spanning everything from strategic energy infrastructure to essential public services, forms the core of their argument that true governance is measured not in abstract slogans, but in concrete improvements to the lives of citizens.

A cornerstone of this legacy is the ambitious and transformative "Runaki" program. Launched by Prime Minister Barzani in October 2024 with the audacious goal of providing 24-hour electricity to the entire Kurdistan Region by the end of 2026, the program has already made historic progress.

As of October 2025, the city centers of Zakho and Soran, as well as the major urban hubs of Erbil, Sulaimani, Duhok, and Halabja, have been connected to a stable, uninterrupted power supply, benefiting an estimated 4.5 million citizens. This has not only ended decades of reliance on an unreliable grid but has also delivered profound environmental benefits by enabling the decommissioning of thousands of polluting private diesel generators.

This commitment to a cleaner environment is further embodied by the landmark Erbil Green Belt Project, inaugurated by the Prime Minister just this week. This massive initiative, which will encircle the capital with a two-kilometer-wide green zone, involves the planting of seven million olive and pistachio trees in its first phase alone.

As the Prime Minister stated at the inauguration, the project will "absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen back into Erbil’s atmosphere, creating cleaner air and a better quality of life for our people," while also generating jobs and revitalizing the agricultural sector.

The government's strategic vision extends deep into the energy sector. This week saw the inauguration of the strategic Erbil-Duhok Natural Gas Pipeline, a $591 million project that will fuel a new 1000-megawatt power station in Duhok.

At the ceremony, Prime Minister Barzani described the project as "very strategic and important," and reaffirmed his pledge that by "next year, the entire Kurdistan Region will have 24-hour electricity," with a long-term vision to "make Kurdistan a source of electricity for all of Iraq and the surrounding region."

This focus on large-scale strategic projects is matched by a dedication to regional development, directly countering any notion that progress is confined to the capital.

This was powerfully demonstrated during the Prime Minister's recent visit to the Soran independent administration, where he inaugurated the Soran Gateway Bridge—the highest in the Kurdistan Region, completed a full year ahead of schedule by a local company. 

On the same trip, he inspected the newly redesigned Gali Ali Beg resort and opened a new 40-meter road, all part of a concerted effort to boost infrastructure and tourism in areas outside the major provincial centers. This follows the inauguration of other vital transport links like the Gomaspan-Smaqoli Road, a 210-billion-dinar project connecting Erbil and Sulaimani.

The Ninth Cabinet's record also showcases a deep investment in essential public services. In just the past week, Prime Minister Barzani inaugurated the Qushtapa Water Project, a $170 million initiative completed a year ahead of schedule that will solve water shortages for over 240,000 citizens for the next 30 years.

He also opened the new Shorsh-Hetit Hospital in the remote Amadi border area, a 100-bed facility built to serve over 250,000 citizens who previously faced difficult journeys to receive medical care, especially in winter. "Serving the people of Kurdistan is not a favor — it is our duty," the Prime Minister stated at the water project's opening, a sentiment that has become a recurring theme of his administration.

This comprehensive agenda is also forward-looking, with a strong emphasis on economic diversification and youth empowerment. Projects like the Megal livestock and slaughterhouse complex aim to bolster food security and create over 1,000 jobs.

The government's investment in technology and innovation is embodied by initiatives like the Kurdistan Innovation Institute's (KII) Science Park, for which the Prime Minister laid the cornerstone this month, declaring that "investing in the minds of our youth is the greatest investment in Kurdistan’s future."

This is supported by active engagement with events like the HITEX technology exhibition and the youth-focused TEDxNishtiman forum, where the Prime Minister has consistently pledged his government's full support for young entrepreneurs and innovators.

This extensive and multi-sectoral record of achievement forms the foundation of Omed Khoshnaw's proud declaration: "we have projects and we are proud of them."

It is a direct and data-driven response to a political challenge, an argument that the KDP-led government has been engaged in the tangible work of nation-building, from providing 24-hour electricity and clean water to building strategic roads, modern hospitals, and a greener, more diversified economy.

The election, as framed by this sharp exchange, has now become a clear referendum on these two opposing philosophies of what it means to lead and serve the people of Kurdistan.