General Babakir began his military career in 1970 by graduating fifth in his class at the Iraqi Military Academy at Rustamiyah in Baghdad at a time when Kurdish citizens were scarcely allowed to serve at all.

Upon completion of the Light Air Defense Artillery Course, General Babakir went to Jordan where he served as the commander of the 1st Platoon, 3rd Battery, Iraqi Light Air Defense Artillery Battalion.

From 1971- 1973 he served in a variety of leadership and technical positions in Baghdad, Taji, and Habiniyah, Iraq. By 1973, he left the Iraqi Army and joined the Kurdish Revolution under the leadership of Mulla Mustafa Al Barazani.

General Babakir served as a combat company commander with the 1st Brigade of the Kurdish Revolution Army in Galala. He was later transferred to the Bahdinan Region (Dahuk) where he served as Deputy Commander of the only artillery battalion in the 1st Army of Peshmerga. Later, he was assigned as a Deputy Commander of the Ammadiyah Brigade.

After the Algerian Treaty and the collapse of the 1st Kurdish Revolution, General Babakir and his family asked for political asylum in Iran and moved to Karej near Tehran. In 1979, General Babakir returned to Iraq and joined the Kurdish revolution as the Military Commander of the Kurdish Army HQ and a member of the Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP) Military office. In 1989, he became a member of the Central Committee of the KDP in charge of the Liaison Office with the Government of Iraq. From 1980-1991, General Babakir commanded the Shekhan and Aqra districts in Kurdistan.

General Babakir participated in the Revolution against the Dictatorship government in Iraq following the 1st Gulf War as the commander of all Kurdish forces in Dahuk and Mosul districts in 1991. In this position he was responsible for military liaison between the Kurdistan region, Turkey, and Iraq.

During Operation Iraqi Freedom, General Babakir played a major role in the assistance of Coalition Forces operating within the Kurdistan region.
In 2003, General Babakir was selected to serve as the Commanding General and Chief of Staff, Iraqi Joint Forces. General Babakir has visited the United States twice, in 1996 and again in 2003.

His military education includes Light Air Defense Artillery Course, Iraqi Commando School, Thunderbolt School (Ranger), Airborne School, and Battlefielding (Special Forces). He is trained on several Anti-Tank weapon systems to include COBRA, SSII, and SAKER.

General Babakir received the Barzani Award, the highest Kurdish Award.