PUK Marks 34th Anniversary of Its First General Congress

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Today, 27 January 2026, marks the 34th anniversary of the first General Congress of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), which convened on 27 January 1992 in the city of Sulaymaniyah. The congress brought together a large number of PUK cadres and members, alongside guests from within Kurdistan and abroad.

The congress lasted several days. On 29 January, the third day of proceedings, PUK leader Omar Mustafa, also known as Omar Dabbaba, passed away inside the conference hall. Following his death, the congress was suspended for several days before resuming on 2 February in the city of Erbil.

The first General Congress represented a pivotal moment and a historic turning point in the PUK’s political path, marking the transition from armed struggle in the mountains to democratic political engagement in urban centres, following the March 1991 uprising. 

During the congress, the party’s bylaws were amended, and the late President Mam Jalal was re-elected as Secretary-General of the PUK, bringing the congress to a successful conclusion.

To date, the PUK has held five General Congresses:

- The First Congress was held on 27 January 1992, with 739 participants in attendance.

- The Second Congress was held on 30 January 2001, with 1,247 participants in attendance.

- The Third Congress was held on 15 June 2010, attended by 1,691 participants in attendance.

- The Fourth Congress was held on 21 December 2019, with 1,126 participants in attendance.

- The Fifth Congress was held on 27 September 2023, with 600 participants in attendance.



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