ERBIL — Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), extended his warmest wishes to his fellow party members as they mark the 77th anniversary of the establishment of the party.

"On this occasion, I acknowledge the endeavors and sacrifices of the members of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, who have always been an inspiration for resilience, endurance, continuity, and strength for the Kurdish cause at difficult and futuristic phases," President Barzani said in a statement released by the Barzani Headquarters today.

"The KDP and the Barzani way have always been a source for hope," he added. "They are protectors and defenders of the just cause of the Kurdistani nation."

The Kurdistan Democratic Party is the ruling party in the Kurdistan Region, where the KDP has consistently been the popular party with major landslide victories in parliamentary elections.