Iraqi President Jalal Talabani returned home on Saturday after spending a year and half in Germany for treatment following a stroke, dpa reported. The 80-year-old politician arrived at an airport in the city of Sulaymaniyah, in the autonomous region of Kurdistan, where he was welcomed by his wife and son Qubad. Kurdish authorities said Talabani had ordered that no official celebrations be held to mark his return due to the unrest in the country. Talabani, who became Iraq's first Kurdish president in 2005, also called on his compatriots to refrain from firing celebratory shots in the air to avoid potential casualties. His return comes just days before Iraq's lawmakers are due to elect a new president. -- SPA 21:41 LOCAL TIME 18:41 GMT تغريد
