Tuesday, December 18, 2012

UPDATE: Iraq's president Talabani hospitalized after suffering a 'health emergency'

Dec. 18, 2012

Jalal Talabani, the Iraqi president, has been hospitalised after suffering a "health emergency", his office says.

"Due to fatigue and tiredness, [the president] had a health emergency and was transported ... to the hospital in Baghdad" on Monday night, said a statement on his website on Tuesday.

The statement, which gave no further details about his condition, said a medical report would be issued later.

Talabani has struggled with various health problems in recent years. He underwent successful heart surgery in the United States in August 2008.

A year earlier, he had to be flown to neighbouring Jordan to be treated for dehydration and exhaustion. He has also travelled to the United States and Europe for treatment for a variety of ailments.

Talabani survived wars, exile and in-fighting in northern Iraq to become the country's first ever Kurdish president a few years after the 2003 invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.

The Iraqi presidency is a largely ceremonial post, though it does retain some powers under Iraq's constitution.

UPDATE: Iraq's President Talabani had a stroke, medical team are working to stabilize him, Iraqi official says - @AP



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