Some sweet blog posts from Nomad Out of Time, who visited Iraqi Kurdistan last week. Great photos and observations:
Irbil - the Citadel
Under Kurdish Skies
FYI I highly recommend the whole of his blog with great stuff for linguistics nerds and anyone with an interest in Islamic history/culture/art, Middle Eastern culture, or a love for Istanbul.
Showing posts with label Kurdistan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kurdistan. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Sunday, October 7, 2007
recent articles
A statement from the Kurdistan Regional Government with their take on role of federalism in Iraq (KRG, 7 October 2007)
This is a good overview of the current situation in Iraqi Kurdistan, including a good analysis of Kirkuk:Security may trump ethnicity in Kirkuk (LA Times, 29 September 2007)
The numbers for September report the fewest deaths in Iraq in over a year. 54% of all deaths were in Baghdad, though, with Diyala and Nineveh (both bordering Iraqi Kurdistan) the next most violent. This does indicate the south of Iraq is relatively safer. Watch this space.
Iraqi deaths fall by 50% (Kurdish Globe, 2 October 2007)
Erbil's Nishtiman mall is the biggest construction project in Kurdistan:
The future of Erbil bazaar is in Nishtiman market (Kurdish Globe, 19 September 2007)
Yet another feature article about the prospects for Iraqi Kurdistan:
Kurdistan: Does independence beckon? (The Economist, September 13, 2007)
And for anyone foolish who is thinking of holidaying in southern Iraq, as I have heard reports of, consider these next articles about the British withdrawal from Basra. All is not peaceful down there. Don't go.
"The departure of UK forces... is likely to precipitate a free-for-all among rival local groupings for control in Iraq's second city.Fearing Shia chaos in Iraq (The Economist Intelligence Unit, September 5th, 2007)
Last post in Basra (The Economist, September 6th, 2007)
This is a good overview of the current situation in Iraqi Kurdistan, including a good analysis of Kirkuk:Security may trump ethnicity in Kirkuk (LA Times, 29 September 2007)
The numbers for September report the fewest deaths in Iraq in over a year. 54% of all deaths were in Baghdad, though, with Diyala and Nineveh (both bordering Iraqi Kurdistan) the next most violent. This does indicate the south of Iraq is relatively safer. Watch this space.
Iraqi deaths fall by 50% (Kurdish Globe, 2 October 2007)
Erbil's Nishtiman mall is the biggest construction project in Kurdistan:
The future of Erbil bazaar is in Nishtiman market (Kurdish Globe, 19 September 2007)
Yet another feature article about the prospects for Iraqi Kurdistan:
Kurdistan: Does independence beckon? (The Economist, September 13, 2007)
And for anyone foolish who is thinking of holidaying in southern Iraq, as I have heard reports of, consider these next articles about the British withdrawal from Basra. All is not peaceful down there. Don't go.
"The departure of UK forces... is likely to precipitate a free-for-all among rival local groupings for control in Iraq's second city.Fearing Shia chaos in Iraq (The Economist Intelligence Unit, September 5th, 2007)
Last post in Basra (The Economist, September 6th, 2007)
Saturday, October 6, 2007
safety in south-eastern Turkey
Travellers should exercise caution coming to Iraqi Kurdistan through Sirnak province in Turkey, the province the border town of Silopi is a part of. Stay on the bus going on the main roads to Silopi.
During September there was substantial violence between the Turkish military and the PKK, resulting in numerous deaths. Hakkari and Siirt provinces have also experienced substantial violence.
Also, Turkey has shelled villages on the Iraqi side of the border over the summer. It's probably not a good idea to visit those villages at risk of further shelling.
Source: this article from the New Anatolian, 5 October 2007.
During September there was substantial violence between the Turkish military and the PKK, resulting in numerous deaths. Hakkari and Siirt provinces have also experienced substantial violence.
Also, Turkey has shelled villages on the Iraqi side of the border over the summer. It's probably not a good idea to visit those villages at risk of further shelling.
Source: this article from the New Anatolian, 5 October 2007.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Is it possible to travel across the Kurdistan/Iran border?
A. As far as I know it is not officially possible (and I don't recommend an illegal crossing). If you want to travel between Iraqi Kurdistan and Iran it is necessary to go back through Turkey.
Q. Do I need a visa for Iraqi Kurdistan?
A. No. Generally at the Ibrahim Khalil border crossing at Zakho you are permitted entry without a visa, and I assume it is the same at Erbil and Sulaymaniyah airports. The passport stamp requires registration within 10 days at the Residence Office. You need to ask around to find this office.
With this entry stamp in your passport you may still exit the Kurdistan region. For instance, entering Kirkuk you will not be stopped. But don't think this is a great reason to visit Kirkuk or Mosul or anywhere else dangerous. It is likely that within a few hours of arriving there will be a price on your head. Don't go.
If you want to enter Iraqi through any other border or airport (ie. Baghdad) you need a visa in advance, which apparently can be difficult to get. And those regions are not recommended for travel either.
Q. What is the exchange rate for the Iraqi dinar?
A. The official rate is around 1250 dinar to US$1. The unofficial rate on the street can be up to 1400 dinar to US$1. It varies depending on the bank or money-changer. US bills below $10 are not always accepted.
Q. How much money should I take for my Kurdistan trip?
A. I recommend at least US$50 per day while within Iraqi Kurdistan, plus money for travel in and out.
US$50 includes $15 for accomodation, $15 for a shared taxi ride between towns, plus $20 for food and other miscellaneous costs.
You should allow at least US$300 for a flight out, or if going via the Turkish border, enough money for a taxi all the way to Silopi, so allow $50 from Zakho, $80 from Dohuk or up to $100 from Erbil. These are upper estimates to allow for being ripped off or having to pay for a whole taxi without sharing the cost.
Q. What are the costs of travelling between cities in Iraqi Kurdistan?
A. For more detail see this page. Generally one seat in a shared taxi costs US$15 for the following regular journeys, each between two and four hours:
Zakho - Dohuk
Dohuk - Erbil
Erbil - Sulaymaniyah (costs more if you want to avoid driving through Kirkuk)
There are shared taxis and minibuses which travel between smaller towns which you can find at various garages in each city.
Q. What other places are worth visiting apart from the main cities?
A. From Dohuk, there are the mountain towns of Amadiyya and Akre to the east.
From Erbil, there are the mountain resort towns of Salahaddin, Shaqlawa, Bekhal and Gali Ali Beg in dramatic mountain valleys.
From Sulaymaniyah, there is Halabja to the south-east, and Dukan and Derbendikhan dams nearby, with lakeside cabins available.
Some more info is here (from the KRG).
A. As far as I know it is not officially possible (and I don't recommend an illegal crossing). If you want to travel between Iraqi Kurdistan and Iran it is necessary to go back through Turkey.
Q. Do I need a visa for Iraqi Kurdistan?
A. No. Generally at the Ibrahim Khalil border crossing at Zakho you are permitted entry without a visa, and I assume it is the same at Erbil and Sulaymaniyah airports. The passport stamp requires registration within 10 days at the Residence Office. You need to ask around to find this office.
With this entry stamp in your passport you may still exit the Kurdistan region. For instance, entering Kirkuk you will not be stopped. But don't think this is a great reason to visit Kirkuk or Mosul or anywhere else dangerous. It is likely that within a few hours of arriving there will be a price on your head. Don't go.
If you want to enter Iraqi through any other border or airport (ie. Baghdad) you need a visa in advance, which apparently can be difficult to get. And those regions are not recommended for travel either.
Q. What is the exchange rate for the Iraqi dinar?
A. The official rate is around 1250 dinar to US$1. The unofficial rate on the street can be up to 1400 dinar to US$1. It varies depending on the bank or money-changer. US bills below $10 are not always accepted.
Q. How much money should I take for my Kurdistan trip?
A. I recommend at least US$50 per day while within Iraqi Kurdistan, plus money for travel in and out.
US$50 includes $15 for accomodation, $15 for a shared taxi ride between towns, plus $20 for food and other miscellaneous costs.
You should allow at least US$300 for a flight out, or if going via the Turkish border, enough money for a taxi all the way to Silopi, so allow $50 from Zakho, $80 from Dohuk or up to $100 from Erbil. These are upper estimates to allow for being ripped off or having to pay for a whole taxi without sharing the cost.
Q. What are the costs of travelling between cities in Iraqi Kurdistan?
A. For more detail see this page. Generally one seat in a shared taxi costs US$15 for the following regular journeys, each between two and four hours:
Zakho - Dohuk
Dohuk - Erbil
Erbil - Sulaymaniyah (costs more if you want to avoid driving through Kirkuk)
There are shared taxis and minibuses which travel between smaller towns which you can find at various garages in each city.
Q. What other places are worth visiting apart from the main cities?
A. From Dohuk, there are the mountain towns of Amadiyya and Akre to the east.
From Erbil, there are the mountain resort towns of Salahaddin, Shaqlawa, Bekhal and Gali Ali Beg in dramatic mountain valleys.
From Sulaymaniyah, there is Halabja to the south-east, and Dukan and Derbendikhan dams nearby, with lakeside cabins available.
Some more info is here (from the KRG).
Friday, August 31, 2007
Friday, March 9, 2007
Getting into Iraqi Kurdistan
1. From Syria
2. From Turkey
3. Crossing the border
4. Zakho
5. By air
6. From Iraq
The best (and cheapest) way to get into Iraqi Kurdistan is through the Ibrahim Khalil border crossing, which is in the city of Zakho in Iraq, and a few kilometres from the town of Silopi on the Turkish side. Going this way means you don't have to pass through the dangerous parts of Iraq (the non-Kurdish-controlled areas). Alternatively (but much more expensively), it's possible to fly into Erbil or Suleymaniyah from a few Middle Eastern and European cities.
From Syria:
Get to Qamishli, in North-eastern Syria. The 9 hour bus ride from Damascus should cost around SYP300 (US$6). Once in Qamishli, you can walk (10 min) north from the city centre to the border post with Nusaybin, Turkey. If it's too late to cross the border, Hotel Omayya (SYP 300/single, dirty toilets) is a stark little place, in the city centre on the road to the border.
On the Turkish side, in addition to the tourist visa, for which there is usually a fee, there is a small extra 5 lira ($4). Get an overpriced taxi (or walk for 15 min) to the Nusaybin Otogar, from where you can catch a passing bus direct to Silopi (7.5 lira / $6, 2 hours).
From Turkey:
Get to Silopi, the border town on the Turkish side. I would advise that you DON'T waste your money on a taxi all the way from Diyarbakir (as I have heard some recommend), but take a much cheaper bus all the way to Silopi. Buses go there from Cizre (nearby larger city), Mardin, Diyarbakir, Sirnak, and most likely a few other places. Turkish Airlines flies to Mardin a few times per week.
Once in Silopi, the only public transport across the border is by taxi. The local cartel will charge US$40 per taxi for this service (feel free to try to bargain), dropping you off at the taxi rank on the Iraqi side (but should still help you to negotiate your Iraqi taxi fare). The taxi driver should help you at each border check. Before you leave he'll make some photocopies of your passport to give to Turkish passport control.
Crossing the border:
IMPORTANT: Please be aware that the 'Kurdish issue' is very contentious in Turkish politics and it is worth avoiding talking about it with the border officials, or any Turkish security personnel. Also terrorism is a concern for both sides, so don't act suspiciously, or you may end up in trouble.
On the Turkish side it is rather quick for small vehicles to cross- it only took 15 minutes for me. I don't know if my driver bribed anyone or not.
On the Iraqi Kurdistan side, you will sit and wait in a little lounge area, with tea & TV. Kurdish passport control will ask questions about your occupation and reasons for visiting Iraq, and may ask for verification like documents, ID cards, etc. If you have any local contacts they will probably take the name & phone number and give them a call to make sure your story checks out. I have heard that some men travelling alone have been made to wait for a few days at the border- it didn't happen to me but be aware it is possible. Be open and honest, and if you have nothing to hide you should be fine. But it may be easier not to travel alone, and it's definitely preferable to have a local contact to vouch for you.
You don't have to pay for an Iraqi visa if entering by this post, it's just a big fat page-sized stamp in the passport and that's it.
After passport control you might be taken to meet a security official in an office building. He was welcoming to me, and insisted that I contact the local security office if I had any problems anywhere in Kurdistan.
You may change US dollars, Euros, or Turkish Lira into Iraqi Dinars at a small hidden bank office in a customs building. Ask around until you find it.
The exchange rate was about 1,300 Dinar = US $1. Based on that, the Turkish Lira would be around 900 Dinar (February 2007 rate).
Zakho:
Your driver will drive you another half kilometre to the taxi rank, where you can negotiate a taxi to Dohuk or Erbil, or you can stay in Zakho if you wish. There are bound to be numerous hotels in the centre of this city of perhaps up to 150,000 people. All I saw of Zakho was an industrial border town full of trucks- I don't know if it's worth staying, although apparently there is the famous old Delal Bridge (Pira Delal).
From Zakho, a car to Dohuk (around 1 hour) was $45, or $90 to Erbil (3-4 hours). These prices are for one whole car, so if you have 3 passengers divide that by 3. Other travellers will be willing to share a taxi. If you want to get to smaller towns & villages near Zakho, there should be a 'garage' in Zakho where you can find taxis that go to different places, including into the mountains.
By air:
There are flights into Erbil and Suleymaniyah from numerous cities, including Baghdad, Amman, Beirut, Dubai, Tehran, Istanbul, Vienna, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Munich. The flights are not cheap (except within Iraq). One way international tickets are anywhere from $290 to $500, and return is anywhere from $550 upwards.
These airlines tend to be charter operations and some have cancelled their operations to Iraqi Kurdistan. After cancelling its service in 2007, Austrian Airlines will start three direct flights per week from Vienna, starting April 2, 2008, and will increase to four per week in June 2008.
Erbil International Airport is currently very small, but a new, larger terminal is due to open around the end of 2007. Suleymaniyah International Airport was built in 2003, currently with a larger capacity than Erbil, and more information available online about flights, schedules, and prices.
2008: A new air service called IRAQUNA has started recently with flights to/from Athens, and an arrangement with Olympic Airlines for connecting flights to London (Gatwick), Dusseldorf, Amsterdam, and Stockholm. Prices (available on their website) are not cheap.
Airlines flying to Kurdistan (list includes travel agents in Kurdistan)
From non-Kurdish Iraq:
I strongly advise against travelling through Iraq to get to Kurdistan. It is sheer foolishness to go through dangerous parts of Iraq (all areas not controlled by the KRG). Bombs happen, shootings happen, abductions happen, and being foreign will just make you an easier target.
Violence in Iraq has dropped dramatically since June 2007. The figures are something like a 60% drop in violence year-on-year from January 2007 to January 2008. Violent deaths are down from around 2000 per months a year ago to less than 600 in January 2008. So things are much better, but still not great. I urge extreme caution if you are considering travelling outside the KRG's territory.
But if you're already in non-Kurdish Iraq, I presume there are taxis or minibuses from Mosul, Kirkuk and maybe Baghdad to the major Kurdish-controlled cities, as well as flights from Baghdad and Basra.
So, I must stress, STAY IN THE KURDISH REGION of Iraq. Don't be a hero and go somewhere else for the hell of it. It's just total stupidity. But if you're going to, at least avoid Mosul and Baquba, two main centres of violence and terrorist activities.
2. From Turkey
3. Crossing the border
4. Zakho
5. By air
6. From Iraq
The best (and cheapest) way to get into Iraqi Kurdistan is through the Ibrahim Khalil border crossing, which is in the city of Zakho in Iraq, and a few kilometres from the town of Silopi on the Turkish side. Going this way means you don't have to pass through the dangerous parts of Iraq (the non-Kurdish-controlled areas). Alternatively (but much more expensively), it's possible to fly into Erbil or Suleymaniyah from a few Middle Eastern and European cities.
From Syria:
Get to Qamishli, in North-eastern Syria. The 9 hour bus ride from Damascus should cost around SYP300 (US$6). Once in Qamishli, you can walk (10 min) north from the city centre to the border post with Nusaybin, Turkey. If it's too late to cross the border, Hotel Omayya (SYP 300/single, dirty toilets) is a stark little place, in the city centre on the road to the border.
On the Turkish side, in addition to the tourist visa, for which there is usually a fee, there is a small extra 5 lira ($4). Get an overpriced taxi (or walk for 15 min) to the Nusaybin Otogar, from where you can catch a passing bus direct to Silopi (7.5 lira / $6, 2 hours).
From Turkey:
Get to Silopi, the border town on the Turkish side. I would advise that you DON'T waste your money on a taxi all the way from Diyarbakir (as I have heard some recommend), but take a much cheaper bus all the way to Silopi. Buses go there from Cizre (nearby larger city), Mardin, Diyarbakir, Sirnak, and most likely a few other places. Turkish Airlines flies to Mardin a few times per week.
Once in Silopi, the only public transport across the border is by taxi. The local cartel will charge US$40 per taxi for this service (feel free to try to bargain), dropping you off at the taxi rank on the Iraqi side (but should still help you to negotiate your Iraqi taxi fare). The taxi driver should help you at each border check. Before you leave he'll make some photocopies of your passport to give to Turkish passport control.
Crossing the border:
IMPORTANT: Please be aware that the 'Kurdish issue' is very contentious in Turkish politics and it is worth avoiding talking about it with the border officials, or any Turkish security personnel. Also terrorism is a concern for both sides, so don't act suspiciously, or you may end up in trouble.
On the Turkish side it is rather quick for small vehicles to cross- it only took 15 minutes for me. I don't know if my driver bribed anyone or not.
On the Iraqi Kurdistan side, you will sit and wait in a little lounge area, with tea & TV. Kurdish passport control will ask questions about your occupation and reasons for visiting Iraq, and may ask for verification like documents, ID cards, etc. If you have any local contacts they will probably take the name & phone number and give them a call to make sure your story checks out. I have heard that some men travelling alone have been made to wait for a few days at the border- it didn't happen to me but be aware it is possible. Be open and honest, and if you have nothing to hide you should be fine. But it may be easier not to travel alone, and it's definitely preferable to have a local contact to vouch for you.
You don't have to pay for an Iraqi visa if entering by this post, it's just a big fat page-sized stamp in the passport and that's it.
After passport control you might be taken to meet a security official in an office building. He was welcoming to me, and insisted that I contact the local security office if I had any problems anywhere in Kurdistan.
You may change US dollars, Euros, or Turkish Lira into Iraqi Dinars at a small hidden bank office in a customs building. Ask around until you find it.
The exchange rate was about 1,300 Dinar = US $1. Based on that, the Turkish Lira would be around 900 Dinar (February 2007 rate).
Zakho:
Your driver will drive you another half kilometre to the taxi rank, where you can negotiate a taxi to Dohuk or Erbil, or you can stay in Zakho if you wish. There are bound to be numerous hotels in the centre of this city of perhaps up to 150,000 people. All I saw of Zakho was an industrial border town full of trucks- I don't know if it's worth staying, although apparently there is the famous old Delal Bridge (Pira Delal).
From Zakho, a car to Dohuk (around 1 hour) was $45, or $90 to Erbil (3-4 hours). These prices are for one whole car, so if you have 3 passengers divide that by 3. Other travellers will be willing to share a taxi. If you want to get to smaller towns & villages near Zakho, there should be a 'garage' in Zakho where you can find taxis that go to different places, including into the mountains.
By air:
There are flights into Erbil and Suleymaniyah from numerous cities, including Baghdad, Amman, Beirut, Dubai, Tehran, Istanbul, Vienna, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Munich. The flights are not cheap (except within Iraq). One way international tickets are anywhere from $290 to $500, and return is anywhere from $550 upwards.
These airlines tend to be charter operations and some have cancelled their operations to Iraqi Kurdistan. After cancelling its service in 2007, Austrian Airlines will start three direct flights per week from Vienna, starting April 2, 2008, and will increase to four per week in June 2008.
Erbil International Airport is currently very small, but a new, larger terminal is due to open around the end of 2007. Suleymaniyah International Airport was built in 2003, currently with a larger capacity than Erbil, and more information available online about flights, schedules, and prices.
2008: A new air service called IRAQUNA has started recently with flights to/from Athens, and an arrangement with Olympic Airlines for connecting flights to London (Gatwick), Dusseldorf, Amsterdam, and Stockholm. Prices (available on their website) are not cheap.
Airlines flying to Kurdistan (list includes travel agents in Kurdistan)
From non-Kurdish Iraq:
I strongly advise against travelling through Iraq to get to Kurdistan. It is sheer foolishness to go through dangerous parts of Iraq (all areas not controlled by the KRG). Bombs happen, shootings happen, abductions happen, and being foreign will just make you an easier target.
Violence in Iraq has dropped dramatically since June 2007. The figures are something like a 60% drop in violence year-on-year from January 2007 to January 2008. Violent deaths are down from around 2000 per months a year ago to less than 600 in January 2008. So things are much better, but still not great. I urge extreme caution if you are considering travelling outside the KRG's territory.
But if you're already in non-Kurdish Iraq, I presume there are taxis or minibuses from Mosul, Kirkuk and maybe Baghdad to the major Kurdish-controlled cities, as well as flights from Baghdad and Basra.
So, I must stress, STAY IN THE KURDISH REGION of Iraq. Don't be a hero and go somewhere else for the hell of it. It's just total stupidity. But if you're going to, at least avoid Mosul and Baquba, two main centres of violence and terrorist activities.
Thursday, March 8, 2007
CITY MAPS
Dohuk
Erbil
Sulaymaniyah
General Kurdistan maps - from the Kurdistan Corporation, mainly schematic or regional maps.
Kurdistan region map - from vbgood.com's Iraq map page, which includes numerous useful maps.
Erbil
Sulaymaniyah
General Kurdistan maps - from the Kurdistan Corporation, mainly schematic or regional maps.
Kurdistan region map - from vbgood.com's Iraq map page, which includes numerous useful maps.
Erbil / Hewler maps
Click on the map for full size:
Detailed map:
Large-scale map:
Please note that the building marked as 'new huge shopping ctr' is called the Nishtiman shopping mall (opened February 2007), as it overlooks Nishtiman Square.
Detailed map:
Large-scale map:
Please note that the building marked as 'new huge shopping ctr' is called the Nishtiman shopping mall (opened February 2007), as it overlooks Nishtiman Square.
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