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Jalal Talabani Fast Facts

January 04, 2013

(CNN) โ€” Hereโ€™s a look at the life of former Iraqi President Jalal Talabani.

Personal:
Birth date: November 12, 1933

Death date: October 3, 2017

Birth place: Kelkan, Iraq

Marriage: Hero Ibrahim Ahmed

Children: Qubad and Bafel

Education: Baghdad University, law degree, 1959

Religion: Sunni Muslim

Timeline:
1947 - At age 14, joins the Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP).

1951 - Member of the KDPโ€™s Central Committee.

June 1975 - Leaves the KDP to found the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), an organization that promotes independence for the Kurdish people.

1975-2017 - Secretary General of the PUK.

1976 - Is involved in armed resistance against the government of Saddam Hussein.

1998 - Talabani and rival Kurdish Democratic Party leader Massoud Barzani sign a peace agreement that provides for the joint governing of their respective areas of Kurdistan.

November 1-30, 2003 - President of Iraqโ€™s Governing Council. This position rotates monthly and nine of the 25 ICG members take turns filling the spot.

January 30, 2005 - One of approximately 7,700 candidates in Iraqโ€™s first free elections in more than 50 years.

April 6, 2005 - Is elected president of Iraq by the new transitional national assembly, and is sworn in the next day.

April 22, 2006 - Wins a second term as president as part of an interim Iraqi government.

November 27-29, 2006 - Meets with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and announces that a security agreement between Iraq and Iran has been reached.

February 25-March 14, 2007 - Falls ill and is flown from Iraq to Jordan for treatment, reportedly suffering from severe exhaustion and lung inflammation.

May 20-June 2, 2007 - Travels to the United States for unspecified medical treatments.

March 7-8, 2008 - Visits Turkey, his first visit as head of state.

November 2010 - Is re-elected president by the new Iraqi parliament.

December 1, 2011 - Marking the end of the US military presence in Iraq, Talabani confers upon coalition officials, including Vice President Joe Biden, the โ€œshield of commitmentโ€ medal.

January 19, 2012 - Has spinal surgery in Germany.

December 2012 - Suffers a stroke.

July 19, 2014 - Talabani returns to Iraq after 18 months of treatment in Germany.

July 24, 2014 - Iraqi lawmakers elect Fouad Massoum to succeed Talabani as president.

October 3, 2017 - Dies at age 83 after years of illness following his 2012 stroke.

The-CNN-Wire
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