Cooperation between two leading parties of Iraqi Kurdistan in fighting against Islamic fundamentals

The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Democratic Party of Iraq (DPI), the two leading parties of Iraqi Kurdistan, will be cooperating in the fight against the Kurdish Islamic fundamentalist gangs, said a RIA Novosti correspondent. The agreement on cooperation between the PUK and the DPI stipulates data exchange and creation of "centres of joint action." Latif Rashid, a PUK representative, reported about this. According to him, there are bases of a number of Kurdish Islamic gangs in the mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan near the Iranian border. The Supporters of Islam movement is leading. It comprises several units, the Warriors of Islam group as well. It includes 200-300 people and is linked with Al-Qaeda and the Afghan Talibans. The Babil Iraqi daily published it on Wednesday. According to the PUK, it was the Warriors of Islam who attempted to assassinate the Deputy Leader of the National Union of Kurdistan. Five bodyguards were killed during the fire exchange. The PUK and the DPI control a major part of the territory of Iraqi Kurdistan. Since the end of the 1991 Gulf War Iraqi Kurdistan has been virtually autonomous from Iraq.