Ali Bapir re-elected as leader of Islamic Kurdistan Justice Group

Bapir criticizes Israel, voices support for Hamas; says Israel will dissolve

ERBIL,— Ali Bapir was elected as the head of the Kurdistan Justice Group (KJG) (Komal), formerly known as the Kurdistan Islamic Group (KIG), during the party’s fifth congress held in Erbil on Saturday, the group’s media outlet confirmed on Wednesday.

The congress began at the Saad Abdulla Hall in Erbil and is set to continue for two days, according to the group’s official media outlet.

A total of 78 individuals submitted their candidacy for the party’s top leadership post, but Bapir, known for his hardline Islamic views, secured the position once again.

Party officials said the gathering was attended by 907 members who were eligible to participate in the internal elections. In addition to choosing the group’s leader, the congress is also selecting members of the Leadership Council as part of the group’s internal regulatory requirements.

Delegates are reportedly considering amendments to the party’s bylaws, including changes to the structure and number of leadership bodies. No official details on those adjustments have been disclosed yet.

Bapir, who has held the leadership since the party’s establishment in 2001, delivered a speech lasting nearly 80 minutes during the opening session.

The address focused largely on Islamic values and religious themes but included no new political direction or strategy, according to attendees.

Bapir sharply criticized Israel in his speech, expressing strong support for Hamas and the broader Palestinian cause.

“The world will move forward, and the Muslims in Gaza and Palestine will endure,” Bapir stated. “I’ve said this many times, and I will say it again: Hamas, the jihad, and the jihadists will not collapse. They will prevail—and you will witness it.”

He continued, “The Zionist entity will eventually dissolve… that is how I see it.” Bapir also called on supporters to unite behind the Palestinian struggle, urging, “We must rally behind this cause with everything we have.”

Ali Bapir with Khaled Mashal — Ali Bapir (R), the radical leader of the Islamic Kurdistan Justice Group (KJG) formerly Kurdish Islamic Group KIG (Komal) of Iraqi Kurdistan, with Khaled Mashal, the chief of the Palestinian Islamic militant extremist group Hamas, Turkey, September 17, 2015. Photo: SM/via iKurd.net

Bapir has drawn regional attention in past years for his support of Hamas and controversial positions on Islamic governance. In 2023, he publicly called on Muslims to support Gaza and Hamas against Israel.

In 2021, his party expressed opposition to a potential Kurdistan Region constitution that would be “less Islamic than Iraq’s,” despite the presence of protected minority groups such as Christians, Yazidis, Zoroastrians, atheists and Jews in the Kurdish region.

In 2015, Bapir, who has been considered a radical Islamist, met with Hamas leader Khaled Mashal in Ankara during a convention organized by Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

The group was originally founded as the Kurdistan Islamic Group in 2001 before rebranding to its current name during its fourth congress.

That event was held in February 2021, when Bapir officially assumed the title of party leader, replacing the previous title of “Emir.”

During a campaign rally ahead of the Kurdistan parliamentary elections in October 2024, held in Kalar, a town in the Garmiyan region of Iraqi Kurdistan, Ali Bapir called for the adoption of a governance system based on Islamic principles.

Ali Bapir with his 4th wife, who is 35 years younger, in 2022. Photo: Video/X

Currently, the KJG holds one seat in Iraq’s national parliament and three seats in the Kurdistan regional Parliament.

Ali Bapir, 64, took a fourth wife in 2022, as permitted under Islamic law, which allows up to four wives. The marriage drew public attention due to the age gap — his new wife is reportedly 35 years younger.

The event also sparked conversation about traditional marriage practices and the role of women in conservative religious settings.