Jalal Talabani, the leader of Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and former head of state of Iraq, has died. He was 83.

Talabani, a.k.a Mam Jalal (Uncle Jalal) died in Berlin after his health rapidly deteriorated since September 12. Talabani survived a stroke in 2012 but he had to step down as head of state of Iraq because of health problems.

Talabani struggled against Iraq’s dictatorial regime as a guerrilla for decades and survived brutal attacks by Saddam Huseyin in 1990s.

His death came days after a landmark but non-binding referendum in Iraqi Kurdistan, where voters overwhelmingly backed calls for the region’s independence from Baghdad.