Many refer to Talabani as "uncle" Jalal or "great uncle".
Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani said the mission to achieve the nation’s long-held quest for independence would have been easier if Talabani was in better health.
That is because Jalal Talabani's bridged some divides among the Kurdish factions. He was strongly respected in the Syrian Kurd enclaves.
There are video links at the source.
Kurdish Ping.
RIP Talabani. He and Barzani, though their factions often feuded internally, kept Kurdish interests at the forefront in the shaping of the post-Saddam Iraq.
Kurdish ping, pls.