News & Articles

Welcome to the Kosrat Rasool Ali Historical Archive

2026-06-17

The first public version of the archive is now live.

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Sorani · Kurdipedia · 1970s–2000s

Kosrat Rasul Ali — Sorani biographical archive record

2022-09-17

A substantial Sorani-language biographical archive entry on Kosrat Rasul Ali. It records his underground political activity, imprisonment under the Ba'ath regime, leadership respon

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Sorani · Zaniary · 1980s–2000s

کۆسرەت ڕەسوڵ عەلی — Zaniary biography

2021-10-05

A Sorani biography independently preserving many of the same milestones found in Kurdish archival accounts, including underground organization in Erbil, Malband command, the 1991 u

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Sorani · Kurdipedia · 1988 / Peshmerga resistance

The Story of Sari Rash — 'The Night the Snow Caught Fire'

1988-01-28

A detailed Sorani account of the 28 January 1988 Sari Rash operation. The account explicitly identifies Kosrat Rasul Ali as the originator and planner of the operation while he was

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English · PUKmedia · March 1991

35 Years Since the Uprising: How Erbil Was Liberated from Saddam's Ba'athist Regime

2026-03-11

A detailed retrospective account of the liberation of Erbil on 11 March 1991. It describes a call from Kosrat Rasul Ali, deployment of Peshmerga forces and underground cells, and a

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Sorani · Kurdipedia / Hawleri Jaran archive · 11 March 1991

ڕاپەڕینی هەولێر 11-03-1991 وەک خۆی — Original footage of the Erbil uprising

1991-03-11

Archival Sorani video material from the beginning of the Erbil uprising on 11 March 1991. Kurdipedia's record explicitly notes the appearance of Kosrat Rasul and Khurshid Shera in

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Sorani · Kurdipedia / PUK Soran Malband statement · Battle of Kore, 1991

29th Anniversary Statement on the Battle of Kore

2020-04-11

A Sorani commemorative statement describing the Battle of Kore and explicitly placing PUK forces at the Kore pass under the supervision of Kosrat Rasul Ali, with Hassan Koistani na

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Sorani · Kurdipedia / Old Kurdistan Archive · 10 June 1991

Kosrat Rasul, Rebaz, Hassan Koistani and Farouq Jabbar in Shaqlawa, 1991

1991-06-10

A Sorani archival video record dated 10 June 1991 in Shaqlawa showing Kosrat Rasul together with Rebaz, Hassan Koistani and Farouq Jabbar at a family celebration.

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English / French · Chris Kutschera photographic archive · 1991

Kosrat Rassul — 1991 Erbil photographic record

1991

Journalist and photographer Chris Kutschera's archive identifies photographs he took of Kosrat Rassul in Erbil in 1991 and records his reputation as a PUK commander during the batt

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English · Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty · Biyara / Ansar al-Islam, March 2003

Kurdish and U.S. troops occupy Ansar al-Islam positions in northern Iraq

2003-03-31

Contemporary reporting on the U.S.-Kurdish assault that drove Ansar al-Islam from positions in northeastern Iraq. Veteran Kurdish fighter Kosrat Rasul Ali is directly quoted in the

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English · The New York Times, archived by Kurdish Institute of Paris · August–September 2003

Hunt for Saddam: Tantalizing tip ends in frustration

2003-09-06

A contemporary New York Times report on the Kurdish operation that captured former Iraqi vice president Taha Yassin Ramadan. Kosrat Rasool is identified as the senior PUK leader wh

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English · Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty · Capture of Saddam Hussein

Iraq Report: PUK role in locating Saddam Hussein

2003-12-15

One of the strongest contemporary sources concerning Kosrat Rasul's reported role in the search for Saddam Hussein. Ahmad Chalabi publicly confirmed that the PUK played a role in l

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English · Kurdish Institute of Paris press review · Capture of Saddam Hussein

Press review on Kurdish involvement in Operation Red Dawn and Taha Yassin Ramadan

2003-12

A contemporary press review collecting reporting that disputed a purely U.S.-only account of the intelligence trail to Saddam and identified Kosrat Rasul as an important Kurdish fi

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Italian · la Repubblica · Kirkuk front, 2015

The Lion of Kurdistan: 'We want our state'

2015-01-30

Italian frontline reportage from Kirkuk centered on Kosrat Rasul Ali during the war against ISIS. The article presents him as being on the front line and records his views on the w

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English · Carnegie Endowment for International Peace · ISIS war / institutional reform

Kurdistan's Political Armies: The Challenge of Unifying the Peshmerga Forces

2015-12

A policy study of the fragmented Peshmerga system. It identifies Kosrat Rasul Ali as a senior PUK figure within the military-political command structure and discusses the limits of

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Italian · Regione Toscana · ISIS war, 2016

Pegaso d'Oro 2016 awarded to Kosrat Ali Rasul

2016-11-29

Official Tuscany regional-government record awarding the 2016 Pegaso d'Oro — the region's highest distinction — to Kosrat Ali Rasul, with an explicit citation of his political and

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English · Anadolu Agency · Kirkuk attack, October 2016

Daesh, Iraqi forces clash in Kirkuk

2016-10-22

Contemporary reporting on the October 2016 ISIS attack inside Kirkuk. The report directly attributes to KRG Vice President Kosrat Rasul Ali a statement that most of the city had be

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English · Rudaw · 2017

PUK official: A unified Kurdistan necessary for tomorrow's challenges

2017-01-18

A substantial interview with Kosrat Rasul Ali on Kurdish unity, internal political problems, the post-Mosul environment and challenges facing the Kurdistan Region.

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English · Carnegie Endowment for International Peace · September–October 2017

Internal Divides Behind the Kurdistan Referendum

2017-10-11

Contemporary analysis of divisions inside Kurdish politics over the 2017 independence referendum. It specifically identifies Kosrat Rasul as a senior PUK leader who backed the vote

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English · Reuters / Cyprus Mail archive · 13 October 2017

Kurdish VP: Thousands of troops sent to Kirkuk to face 'Iraqi threat'

2017-10-13

Reuters reporting from three days before Iraqi forces took Kirkuk. Kosrat Rasul directly stated that thousands of additional Peshmerga had been deployed amid the escalating confron

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English · CNN, archived by Kurdish Institute of Paris · 18 October 2017

The Kurdish people have won the moral argument — the world should embrace our independence

2017-10-18

A major international primary source: an opinion article authored by Kosrat Rasul Ali and published by CNN on 18 October 2017, immediately after the Kirkuk crisis. He argues for Ku

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English · Reuters / Yahoo News archive · 19 October 2017

Iraq orders arrest of Kurdistan vice president over 'occupying forces' statement

2017-10-19

Reuters report documenting the Iraqi Supreme Justice Council's arrest order for Kosrat Rasul after statements concerning the federal forces that entered Kirkuk.

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English · Anadolu Agency · 19 October 2017

Iraqi court issues warrant for arrest of Kurdistan Region vice president

2017-10-19

A detailed contemporary report quoting the Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council's stated basis for the arrest warrant against Kosrat Rasul and linking it to his description of federal fo

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English · Al Jazeera Centre for Studies · October 2017

After Kirkuk: What does Erbil's defeat mean for the regional balance of power?

2017-11-12

A post-crisis analysis of the fall of Kirkuk that distinguishes Kosrat Rasul from other PUK factions and states that Peshmerga units loyal to him attempted to resist advancing Iraq

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English · Middle East Institute · 2014–2017

The Army of Kurdistan — Hezekani Kosrat Rasul at Jalawla and Kirkuk

2026-08

A detailed military study identifying Hezekani Kosrat Rasul as Kosrat Rasul Ali's personal force and tracing its participation in fighting around Jalawla during the ISIS war and re

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Sorani · Zamen Press · Referendum anniversary

Kosrat Rasul: The referendum was one of the happiest historic days of my life

2022-09-25

A Sorani report reproducing Kosrat Rasul's reflections on the fifth anniversary of the 2017 referendum. He describes the vote as a source of pride and discusses his responsibility

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Sorani · KurdistanPost · 2017

Critical Sorani report alleging abuses by forces linked to Kosrat Rasul

2017-06-17

A critical Sorani report making allegations against armed personnel said to be linked to Kosrat Rasul in Sulaymaniyah. It is preserved to document critical contemporary coverage, n

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