Kurdish Islamic Groups Fighting Among Themselves.   

28 September 2001, Volume 4, Number 31
Iraq Report
(David Nissman)
Non-aligned Islamic groups, who had tried to talk to each other in order to reach some
common ground, decided to try again, according to an article in the Sulaymaniyah
newspaper "Hawlati" of 16 September. This time talks were conducted between the
non-aligned groups and Mala Ali Bapir, emir of the Islamic Group in Iraqi Kurdistan. 

Recently, the non-aligned groups agreed to affiliate themselves with the Islamic Group.
Shaykh Muhammad Barzinji was made leader of the group, and Mala Ali Bapir was
accepted as the general emir. Together with this reunification, two Islamic armed forces also
affiliated themselves to the Islamic Group. Some of their headquarters are in Halapcha. This
is likely to cause a crisis between the Islamic Group and the Islamic Unity Movement. 

The Iranian government welcomes this reunification. 

Mala Krekar, a former military commander for the Islamic Movement of Kurdistan who had
trained in Afghanistan, was rumored to be toying with the idea of joining the Jund Al-Islam.
However, it is understood that he has hopes of becoming an emir (military commander) for
them. As it is, KurdishMedia.com announced on 24 September that Mala Krekar has joined
the Jund Al-Islam to fight against the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). 

Ali Bapir and members of the political bureau paid a visit to Jalal Talabani, leader of the
PUK. In the meeting, it was decided that both sides were committed to adhering to the terms
of the Tehran agreement, signed between the Islamic Unity Movement and the PUK,
according to the Sulaymaniyah newspaper "Komal" on 16 September. They have also
pledged to strengthen peace and security in the region. 

It has also been reported that the PUK forces have taken full control of Halabcha following
heavy fighting against the militia of the Islamic Movement of Kurdistan (IMK), according to
the "Kurdistan Observer" of 26 September. Following the battle, the IMK leader Mala Ali
Abdulaziz and his group are said to have joined with the Jund Al-Islam forces in the areas
near Sharazor. 

An Iranian delegation has arrived to mediate between the PUK and IMK. Iran is believed to
be pressuring the PUK leadership to allow the IMK leader and his group to return to
Halabcha. (David Nissman)
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