On Sunday, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani extended his condolences to the family of renowned Kurdish politician Mehdi Zana, who passed away at the age of 85 on Saturday.

“I extend my condolences to the family of the renowned Kurdish politician Mehdi Zana. My respect and sympathies go to his esteemed family, especially his dear wife Leyla Zana,” KRG Prime Minister Barzani stated. “Mehdi Zana was one of the prominent Kurdish activists who devoted a long life to the struggle of the Kurdish people.”

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani also extended his condolences to Leyla Zana and to all the family, relatives, and friends of Mehdi Zana on his passing.

“Mehdi Zana was one of the prominent figures in the Kurdish political struggle in Turkey. He spent many long years of his life defending the rights of his people and made many sacrifices along this path.”

In 1977, Zana was elected mayor of Amed (Diyarbakır), a Kurdish city in southeastern Türkiye. He remained in office until the military coup on September 12, 1980 and was subsequently imprisoned for 11 years. After his release, Zana lived in exile in Sweden before returning to his homeland in 2004.