Political Unrest in Sulaimani Fuels New Wave of Asylum Seekers to UK, Reports Daily Express

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – A Kurdish asylum seeker says the escalating political repression and violence in Sulaimani drove him to undertake a perilous journey to the United Kingdom, including six attempts to cross the English Channel in a small boat.

Amed — a pseudonym used to protect relatives still in the region — told the newspaper he travelled thousands of miles to reach the UK, eventually arriving on August 11 after boarding an overcrowded dinghy with 84 other migrants.

“It was very bad in the dinghy. Some people lost consciousness. It was very, very dangerous,” Amed said. “A couple of times we were about to drown because of the waves.”

According to UK government figures cited by the newspaper, more than 36,950 migrants have crossed the Channel in small boats since the beginning of 2025, surpassing the record for the whole of 2024.

Amed said he fled Sulaimani due to what he described as a severe crackdown on political opposition. The city is under the control of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), led by party president Bafel Talabani, a British-Kurdish citizen. Talabani, who grew up in London, has been accused by critics of detaining and torturing political rivals — allegations his supporters deny.

As previously reported, Talabani’s cousins and former PUK co-leaders, Lahur and Polad Talabani — both dual British nationals who fought alongside UK and US forces against ISIS — were arrested last year amid internal party disputes. Their families told the Daily Express the arrests, along with reported clashes between rival factions, have contributed to an increase in people fleeing the region.

Local observers estimate that more than 30 people have been killed and hundreds detained in related unrest over recent months.

Amed claimed the situation had created a climate of fear. “Just for mentioning a political rival’s name, you can be put in prison,” he said. “Many people are waiting for the chance to flee. Sulaimani has become like a military dictatorship.”

He called on the UK government to take a more active role, saying: “Bafel is a British citizen. How are these things happening, and the British government is doing nothing?”

The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) has expressed concern over the recent tensions, urging all sides to “exercise restraint,” protect civilians, and ensure fair judicial processes in accordance with Iraqi constitutional law.

When asked about the detention of Lahur Talabani, a spokesperson for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: “We are supporting a British man detained in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and are in contact with the local authorities.”

This report is based on coverage from the Daily Express.