Kareem Beg Fattah Beg Mohamed Pasha Jaff

    Obtained the leadershipof Jaff after his nephew the late Mahmood Pasha , Kareem Beg ben Fattah Beg ben Mohamed Pasha Jaff, born in 1885 in Gerdeban village in Kani Che Qel. Studied religious science in Sulaimaneia, supervised by his uncle Abdul Rahman Agha ben Abdulla Agha.

   After his father’s death in 1908 he took the responsibility of leading the tribe and his own financial affaires. He resided in Sherwana castle (the castle built by his grandfather Mohamed Pasha Jaff). In 1919 Kareem Beg became officially the Master Leader of the all Jaff clans, of which he was highly capable in doing (Galaweez periodical #10, July 1949).

Major Edmonds with Kareem beg

    Kareem Beg Jaff was a generous by nature, amiable, a humbled hospitality, sharp intelligence, and peaceful, extensive knowledge of tribes’ origins, his own in particular.

    During the British occupation of Iraq he tried to improve the status of his tribe, clearly outlined by Major Edmonds in his book (Kurds, Turks, Arabs), by the analyses of the personality of Kareem Beg and his role in the events of Iraq Kurdistan during that epic; as a result the political developments in Iraq Kurdistan, the rise of the Kurdish nationalistic movement in Southern Kurdistan (Iraq) in Particular, the British retreat on their promises to grant the Kurds their aspired full national rights within an independent governorship (hokimdareia).

 As a consequence to this policy, the Kurdish people launched a revolt under the leadership of Sheikh Mahmood Hafeed Zade against British rule. Both the British and the Iraqi Government of 1929, entered into bitter struggle with Sheikh Mahmood, increasing by the day. Jaff joined the fight in the full strength of most of its clans, of Sheikh Mahmood Hafeed Zade’s against the British; and in particular Khalifa Younis one of the leaders of the Roghzendi Jaff, Mohamed Ali Rostum from Mekaeli Jaff clan, and Mahmood Shater, from Shateri Jaff clan (see: Ahmed Khawaja, Cheem Dee; book3, p.13).

    This alliance between Jaff clans and Shiekh Mahmood was amplified during the time of Kareem Beg Jaff when he and his brother, Dawood Pasha Jaff, and Mohamed Amin Beg, the son of kareem Beg, in the renowned battle of Aw Bareek in 1931. Kareem Beg and Dawood Beg continued their revolt until Shiekh Mahmood Hafeed Zade surrendered to the authorities.

    Kareem Beg passed away in Ramadan of 1949 in the town of Kifri and buried in the Jaff cemetery in Said Khalil, near Kalar. Some of his well-known sons are Mohamed Amin Beg, Mustafa Beg, Ali Beg, Fattah Beg, and Dr. Hasan Beg Jaff.