British war heroes held captive for 223 days in Iraq go on hunger strike

The furious family of two British "war heroes" who fought against ISIS say the Foreign Office is a disgrace as the pair go on hunger strike to try and end 223 days of being held captive without charge in Iraq.

UK citizens Lahur and Polad Talabani grew up in Beckenham, south east London, after their families fled persecution of Kurds under Saddam Hussein’s rule in Iraq in the 1990s. When ISIS reared its ugly head in 2014 both men returned to the Kurdistan region of Iraq to fight the Islamists alongside British, American and coalition forces.

During the conflict, Millwall fan Polad, 46, headed up the Peshmerga, a Kurdish military force, and Lahur, 49, became the intelligence chief. Lahur, who met both Theresa May and Sir Keir Starmer because of his actions against ISIS, went on to enter politics in the Sulaymaniyah region of north-east Iraq.

But after being accused of staging a "coup" by the regional President of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), Bafel Talabani, the brothers were arrested on August 23 last year. Despite the seemingly serious nature of the accusations, no charges have been brought and no court process has begun.

Lahur and Polad's brother Hiwa, 59, who lives in Wimbledon, south west London, said the family was extremely worried about the pair, who he said had been held in solitary confinement and not seen the sun since March 3. Hiwa has shared a picture of his brother smuggled out of his prison before he entered confinement.

"I feel like the ISIS fighters who my brothers fought against for Britain and America have more rights in prison than they do now, it's a disgrace. They are war heroes" he told the Daily Express, "Islamic extremist terrorists in jail are getting better treatment than these two men who are British citizens and who helped defeat Islamic State alongside the UK military.

"My brother has met Sir Keir Starmer, he met Theresa May when she was Prime Minister, he was senior commander of the Peshmerga (Kurdish military) in the war and Polad was a senior figure in intelligence, they deserve better than being left to rot as political prisoners.

"They have had no charges against them, no court appearance, and yet Sir Keir Starmer, the Foreign Office and the Labour Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer and British Consulate are doing nothing to help. How can they be? Nothing has changed in 223 days. They are beyond useless."

The family's local MP, Liberal Democrat Paul Kohler, said a in letter on Tuesday he had contacted the Foreign Office for an "urgent appraisal" in regards to what was being done to "secure the release of the brothers". Mr Kohler added: "My team followed this up with a call to the FCDO today (Tues) to underline the urgency of this case, particularly in light of the news that your brothers have started a hunger strike."

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said it was in contact with the two men, but Hiwa said the pair had received no visits this year.

He added: "I am so angry, my brothers put their lives on the line for the British and their allies and now look at how they are repayed. My brother Lahur's intelligence gathering on ISIS during the war was instrumental for the British Government.

"They have both been left on their own in single two-metre by two-metre rooms, two metre by two metre, they have not been allowed out in the courtyard with the sun for nearly eight weeks."

A former UK special forces member with first-hand knowledge of Lahur and Polad’s role in helping the coalition defeat ISIS previously told the Express: “Lahur and Polad were a massive help, they were extremely well-connected with both the US and UK governments.

“They have fought against terrorist groups both within Iraq, and within Syria. At one stage Lahur was the commander, but then he became the head of intelligence, and his brother Polad took over. I’ve known those lads for 20 years.”

The source said it was “saddening” to see the two men jailed, adding: “They are both extremely likeable individuals."

Hiwa has approached the All-Party Parliamentary Groups Arbitrary Detention and Hostage Affairs, led by Conservative MP Alicia Kearns, but he was told to try speaking to the United Nations.

An Foreign Office Spokesman said: “We are supporting two British men detained in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and are in contact with the local authorities.”