Turtles Can Fly - Links to Download Completely

As we said something on this great film, but here is a synopsis about it.

The film is set in a Kurdish refugee camp on the Iraqi-Turkish border on the eve of the US invasion of Iraq. Thirteen-year-old Kak Satellite is known as "Satellite" for his installation of satellite dishes and antennas for local villagers looking for news of Saddam Hussein and the impending war. He is the dynamic leader of the children, organizing the dangerous but necessary sweeping and clearing of the minefields, and then arranges trade-ins for the unexploded mines.

Satellite falls for an unlikely orphan named Agrin, a sad-faced girl traveling with her disabled but smart brother Henkov, who appears to have the gift of clairvoyance. The siblings are taking care of a three-year-old, whose connection to the pair is discovered as harsh truths about these children are revealed.

Here is the complete links to Download the movie on the net directly:

Part I

Part II

Part III

Part IV

Part V

Part VI

Part VII

Part VIII

Enjoy.

Turtles Can Fly by Bahman Ghobadi

Bahman Ghobadi was born on February 1st, 1969 in Baneh, province of Kurdistan in Iran. He was the first son of the four born in his family. He got his B.A. in film Directing from the Iranian Broadcasting College.

He lived in Baneh up to age 12. Because of civil disputes, his whole family emigrated to Sanandaj (Center of Kurdistan Province in Iran).

He recieved his diploma in Sanandaj & he came to Tehran in 1992 for his advanced studies. Ghobadi started his artistic career in field of Industrial photography from 1998. He was never properly graduated because he believed every thing he had learned was all from his short films. All this experience helped him to expand his individualistic vision of the world that surrounded him.

He started filmmaking with 8mm. He made a few short documentaries as a starting point.
His short films, as of the mid 1990's, received many foreign & domestic awards. "Life in fog" opened a new opportunity in his career.

This film was accepted for many different International awards & became "The most famous documentary ever made in the history of Iranian cinema".

With the making of the full-length feature 'A Time For Drunken Horses (1999)' he became a recognized professional director all over. This is the first Kurdish full feature film in the history of the Iranian cinema, and Ghobadi is the first Kurdish director in the history Iranian cinema.

A Time For Drunken Horses

Ayoub is a young boy living in a village near the border of Iraq in Kurdistan Province. He works in the bazaar along with his little sister. When his father dies, he is obliged to protect his three sisters and sick brother, Madi.

Madi needs surgery, without which, he is expected to live a maximum of 7 to 8 months. Ayoub tries to smuggle merchandise by mule into Iraq in an attempt to raise money for Madi’s operation.

The owner of the mules refuses to pay Ayoub and his group after the job. Ayoub again looks for a job to pay for his brother's operation. He gets a second chance to smuggle goods using the mule his uncle lends him after breaking his arm.

Rojin, Ayoub's sister, marries a suitor living in a village on the border of Iraq on the condition that he smuggles Madi into Iraq for his operation. Despite Ayoub's objections the wedding takes place and they all move to the border village, including Madi.

The groom's mother prevents Madi from going with them and gives Ayoub a mule as a conciliatory gift. Ayoub and Madi along with the acquired mule return to their native village and sell it to get money for Madi's operation.

- Kurdish Director, Kurdish Filmmaker "Bahman Ghobadi" -

Another Film to this great man, Marooned in Iraq, in which "Mirza", a famous Kurdish musician, hears that his ex-wife Hanare is in trouble.
He accompanied by his two sons, embarks on an adventurous journey across the Iran-Iraq border to find her. They finally find her in a refugee camp, disfigured by the chemical attacks.

One of his best and well-known movies is "Turtles Can Fly".

The first film to be made in Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein, the devastating Turtles Can Fly is set in a Kurdish refugee camp on the Iraqi-Turkish border just before the US invasion in spring 2003.

Director Bahman Ghobadi concentrates on a handful of orphaned children and their efforts to survive the appalling conditions: there's the entrepreneurial Satellite (Soran Ebrahim), the armless clairvoyant Henkov (Hirsh Feyssal), and his traumatised sister Agrin (Avaz Latif), who herself is responsible for a blind toddler.

Dedicated according to the Kurdish Ghobadi:

"To all the innocent children in the world - the casualties of the policies of dictators and fascists".

Turtles Can Fly vividly immerses the viewer in the nightmarish realities of daily existence in this makeshift community that's located within a forbidding natural landscape. There's no running water or electricity, the fear of gas attacks is palpable, and kids use their bare-hands to defuse land mines in the surrounding fields, which they then trade for machine guns at a market.

Turtles Can Fly is as bold a presentation of the Kurdish experience as has appeared on the big screen since the great Turkish Kurdish director Yilmaz Guney made Yol. And it has clearly touched a nerve among Iraq's Kurds.

A week after the film's premiere in Arbil, Gobadi still bore the bruises from what he described as "the astonishing reaction" of the audience. "They almost hugged me to death," he said. "I was telling a part of their pain and their memories. I take it as a compliment. If they had not believed what was in the film, they would not have reacted like that."

It is Gobadi's biggest production to date, involving thousands of Kurdish villagers as extras, as well as real US soldiers and helicopters. And he admits that without the help of the Kurdish Regional Government, led by Nechirvan Barzani, the film would never have been made. "We didn't have the money, or any sophisticated equipment, so their help made the difference."

Filming was tough, he says. "We endured hours of freezing weather, filming in the mud and the mountains. And believe me, what these children did in my film and put up with for my film, the Hollywood children could never do. The children were acting their lives. That's why they seem so real."

To read the best article describing the "Turtles Can Fly", click here.

Soran Mama Hama

The original article written by late Soran Mama Hama can be read in Kurdish and English translation, thanks to Dr Kamal Mirawdeli from Kurdish Media.

In Kurdish, click here.

In English, click here.

In another step, the Director-General of UNESCO, Koїchiro Matsuura, condemned the murder of Soran Mama Hama, shot to death on 21 July in the suburbs of Kirkuk in Kurdistan.

“I condemn the murder of Soran Mama Hama,” said Mr Matsuura. “This crime, targeting a courageous journalist, illustrates yet again the danger media professionals working in Iraq are exposed to. In order for freedom of expression, cornerstone of democracy, to exist in the country, authorities must pay greater heed to the safety of journalists.”

Soran Mama Hama, 23, had been working for three years for Leven, independent bimonthly magazine published in the Kurd language. According to his colleagues, he received threats after writing articles critical of local officials. The journalist was shot in his home in Rasheed Awa, a suburb of Kirkuk, the evening of July 21 by four unidentified gunmen who fled by car.

According to the NGO Reporters withour Borders, 217 media professionals have been killed in Iraq since 2003; 13 of them were killed in Kirkuk.

To read the exact article, click here.

RIP kaka Soran...

Freedom of Expression in Kurdistan - Soran Mama Hama

- Late Soran Mama Hama, Symbol of Freedom -

Sadly, this is the price that free man should pay, this is the tax that you should pay when you try to raise your voice, when you report on the responsible people here in South Kurdistan, the most stable and secure portion of newly Iraq....

Soran Mama Hama, a young 23 years old journalist, wrote articles for one of the Kurdish language Sulaimaniyah based independent magazine here in Kurdistan "Livin" who have been assassinated by unknown armed men, in Kirkuk on 22nd of this month, after publishing some articles, which seems to be against some "gangsters" in this region...

Here is the link to the last published article to the late journalist Soran Mama Hama. click here.

It's in Kurdish and talking about the "Prostitution Phenomenon in Kirkuk city" and how many officials in the government involved, even he said that he has a list of these officials but for some "social aspects", we (Livin Magazin) are not going to publish it now....

Here is some reactions to his assassination:

Human rights and press freedom monitors are strongly condemning the murder of Iraqi-Kurdish journalist Soran Mama Hama.

In an interview with the Voice of America's Kurdish Service, Ahmed Mira, editor-in-chief of Livin paid tribute to the courageous young journalist:

"Without a doubt, Soran Mama Hama was of one of the most prominent and professional of journalists, with a great future in front of him."

Joel Campagna, Middle East Program Coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists, said:

"We are extremely concerned about the death of Soran Mama Hama. It's a frightening attack on a journalist which, I think, will send a chilling message to all journalists unless those responsible for this terrible crime are identified and brought to justice."

His murder made an echo among Kurdish people and so many articles wrote on this occasion, but what I liked the most was this article:

""Kurdish reactions to Soran’s assassination""

Soran Mama Hama was assassinated by yesterday’s robbers and today’s murderers

By Kaywan Hawrami – Halabja, 27 July 2008
Translated by Dr Kamal Mirawdeli

For God’s sake, every day they give us a new model of evil deeds as present: robbery, working as mercenaries for enemies (jashayati), corruption, dictatorship, murder, mafia, etc. These all have been the models that [Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) have been offering us. Once people were praying that we would get rid of these robbers, then they became jash (paid mercenaries) of [regional] countries and they are still doing this; then they became dictators and have smothered the country with their injustice; then dictatorship was not sufficient for them they became mafia groups.

For long time people were praying that they would give up robbery but God made them worse; they became jash of regional countries and sold our country and thus became dictators without spending much effort. However, jashayati came to an end, and then they offered new models to us all of which were utterly useless for this country. For some years now they have introduced a new model to us called the model of being-mafias.

This model is very old in Europe but it has recently reached Kurdistan and been applied by our officials. One of the tasks of these mafia groups is to persecute and martyr those journalists who say the truth. The first martyr was Dr Abdulsattar Tahir Sharif. The latest is Soran Mama Hama. Both of them were killed by these two parties. Both of them were critical of Kurdish power: Abdulsattar criticised and exposed their past, Soran exposed their present. That is why they killed both of them

But these mafias do not give a damn about the truth; they do not know how to look at the facts. They only know how to kill, how to steal the wealth and property of people, they have come to ruin the country and prevent anyone from saying anything. They want to rewrite Kurdish history with their filthy hands and inherit it to us. How idiotic, blind and ignorant they are.

The president of the region and his vassals think that by martyring Kaka Soran they can silence us! These mafias think that anyone saying the truth has crossed the red line! Again I repeat: how idiotic you are! I am afraid this all what you are capable of thinking and use this mentality for brutality. You do not know that by martyring Kaka Soran you have only sharpened the points of our pens. I am surprised by your ignorance!

When I heard the news of the assassination of Soran Mama Hama I immediately believed that it is your job because apart from ignorant people like you no one else [in Kurdish society] resorts to rusty bullets. You still have these rusty bullets in your pockets that the [Ba’thist] regime had offered to you so that you would complete the work that the regime had started. I see no difference between you and the previous Ba’th regime because both of you are inspired by a rotten mind, both of you are the product of a rotten culture and mentality of the Medieval ages, Both of you have been nurtured by the filthy milk of A’flaq {Ba’th], It is enough, From now on we will face each other: you with your rusty knives and we with the points of our pens. You with your weapons; and we with our consciences. Let us who will win the future!


RIP kaka Soran...

Even Our Animals "Cont."

Roj Bash...

Finally I could manage to start publishing again, sorry for not publishing anything lately, but actually I was somehow busy with work.

Meanwhile, I found something on the BBC site, that proves something very important, and directly related to our old post, about renaming and changing the scientific animals in the North Kurdistan, Turkish Kurdistan, here is the news , this news last updated on Tuesday, 8 March, 2005:

Turkey renames 'divisive' animal

Turkey has said it is changing the names of three animals found on its territory to remove references to Kurdistan or Armenia.

The environment ministry says the Latin names of the red fox, the wild sheep and the roe deer will be altered.

The red fox for instance, known as Vulpes Vulpes Kurdistanica, will now be known as Vulpes Vulpes. Turkey has uneasy relations with neighbouring Armenia and opposes Kurdish separatists in Turkey.

The ministry said the old names were contrary to Turkish unity.

"Unfortunately there are many other species in Turkey which were named this way with ill intentions. This ill intent is so obvious that even species only found in our country were given names against Turkey's unity," a ministry statement quoted by Reuters news agency said.

Some Turkish officials say the names are being used to argue that Armenians or Kurds had lived in the areas where the animals were found.

Name Changes:

Red fox known as Vulpes Vulpes Kurdistanica becomes Vulpes Vulpes.

Wild sheep called Ovis Armeniana becomes Ovis Orientalis Anatolicus.

Roe deer known as Capreolus Capreolus Armenus becomes Capreolus Cuprelus Capreolus.

Turkey has tense ties with its eastern neighbour Armenia, which it does not officially recognise.

Armenians accuse Turkey of genocide, saying 1.5 million of their people died or were deported from their homelands under Turkish Ottoman rule.

Turkey denies the genocide and says the death count is inflated.

For the last two decades, Turkey has also been fighting Kurdish separatists, who have sought an independent state in Turkey's south-east.

Thanks for BBC for publishing such interesting news.

Al-Azhar University will open an Islamic Institute in Kurdistan

And finally they decided to open an Islamic Institute in the Kurdistan Region, it comes in PUK Media that:

The”Sawt al-Azhar” newspaper which is issued by al- Azhar University in Cairo, announced that, according to an agreement inked by the (KRG) Minister of Religious Affairs and the Azhar Representative Abdel Fatah Alam, an institute will be opened in Kurdistan region. It will be the first of its kind in Iraq.

The newspaper said that al-Azhar University will dispatch 3 specialists in religion and administration to Erbil in order to complete the preparations of opening the Institute.
Al-Azhar al-Shareef is the largest Islamic and Scientific Source in the world. More than one million students, among them 15 from Kurdistan region, study in the aforementioned university.

This is new for a hight Islamic source to announce such step, although they said that there was an Islamic Institute int the region in the early nineties, which last till the end of last decade, but later they closed, why, I don't know.

Let's see what will bring this step to our region and to our religions.

Don’t Send Me Back To Iraqi Kurdistan ..!!

Well, I found this petition for someone, living currently in UK and seeking an Asylum, what's strange in this petition is that the owner who created and asked others to sign his petition is a Kurdish man, yes, a Kurdish man, not willing to return back to South Kurdistan, the Iraqi Kurdistan, because of the two main political parties, PUK and KDP and the way they deal with other than their own supporters and followers.

- His Picture -

He wrote in his petition:

"I am Sarwar Gareb, from Iraq who was a member of the Worker communist party of Iraq (WCPI) and who worked as a journalist in the media. Through my professional and political career I have supported women’s, children’s and the general worker’s rights. Due to these beliefs and actions, and in speaking out about these issues, I was been imprisoned and tortured by the two main political parties in Kurdistan, the PUK and KDP. In fear of my life I fled Kurdistan on 16.07.2000. "

In another part in his explanations to his case, he wrote:

"More importantly it also shows that the Home Office dealt with my case on what seems to be on a generic basis, i.e. that I was fleeing from Saddam, when actually I was fleeing from the PUK and KDP."

Wallahi, the title of his petition made me feel sorry more about ourselves, and think more...They should not force him to return to this hell !!


Wish you all success...

To read more about this petition and to sign his petition, click here.

Yilmaz Güney

Yilmaz Güney was and still one of the greatest and most important personal in the history of Kurdish nation. He is truly Kurdish Che Guevara.

Yılmaz Güney was a Kurdish film director, scenarist, novelist and actor. Almost all of his works are devoted to the plight of the Kurdish people.

Born in April first, 1937 to a Kurdish family in a village near the southern city of Adana, Turkey, his father was a Kurd from Siverek, Turkey and his mother was a Kurd from Varto, Turkey.

Güney studied law and economics at the universities in Ankara and Istanbul, but by the age of 21 he found himself actively involved in film-making.

The most popular name to emerge from the Young Turkish Cinema was that of Yılmaz Güney. Güney was a gruff-looking young actor who earned the moniker "Cirkin Kral" in Turkish, which means "the Ugly King" in English.

After apprenticing as a screenwriter for and assistant to Atıf Yılmaz, Güney soon began appearing in as many as 20 films a year and became Turkey's most popular actor.

In 1960 there were a coup in Turkey, as it's usual in Turkish history, which brought some political reform to Turkey, but not regarding Turkey, they restricted Kurdish people more than before, as the result Güney was imprisoned in 1961 for 18 months for publishing a "Communist" novel.

The country's political situation and Güney's relationship with the authorities only became more tense in the ensuing years. Not content with his star status atop the Turkish film industry, Güney began directing his own pictures in 1965 and, by 1968, had formed his own production company, Güney Filmcilik.

Over the next few years, the titles of his films mirrored the feelings of the Kurdish people: Umut which means Hope in 1970, Agit in 1972, Aci in 1971 and Umutsuzlar in 1971.

After 1972, however, Güney would spend most of his life in prison. Arrested for harboring anarchist students, Güney was jailed during preproduction on Zavallilar in 1975, and before completing Endise (1974), which was finished in 1974 by Güney's assistant, Şerif Gören. This was a cherished role that Gören would repeat over the next dozen years, directing several scripts that Güney wrote laboriously while behind bars.

Released from prison in 1974 as part of a general amnesty, Güney was re-arrested that same year for murdering a judge. During this stretch of incarceration, his most successful screenplays were Sürü (The Herd) (1978) and Düsman (1979), both directed by Zeki Ökten.

In an interview with journalist Chris Kutschera, Guney said:

"The Herd, in fact, is the history of the Kurdish people, but I could not even use the Kurdish language in this film; if we had used the Kurdish language, all those who took part in this film would have been sent to jail..."

After escaping from prison in 1981 and fleeing to France, Güney won the Palme d'Or at the 1982 Cannes Film Festival for his film Yol, whose director in the field was once again Şerif Gören. It was not until 1983 that Güney resumed directing, telling a brutal tale of imprisoned children in his final film, Duvar, the Wall in 1983, made in France with the cooperation of the French government.

Güney remains a highly controversial figure in Turkish and Kurdish political and art circles. His works are still highly regarded by cinema critics.

Read my previous post about this great man:

Yilmaz Guney talking about being Kurd

More coming about this great man.

I miss my MOM so badly... :((

This week was my last week in Pediatric Surgery department of Rapareen Hospital here in Hawler, it was so busy and tired week, even I couldn't return back to home to see my mom, that's why I miss her so badly.

This evening I called her and told that I really miss you my dear mom, she said "Offffff", she is a heroine, a mom that every body will wish to have such mom.

Will return back home to see her tomorrow, God Willing...


May God bless you my dear mom...

"Bazar", Hotels and Parks in Hawler

"Bazar" is an eastern term used to refer to Market, nations from Pakistan, India to the Arabian countries, passing through Persia and Kurdistan are suing this term very widely.



The bazaar in Kurdistan contains a broad range of hand-made materials produced by the regional natives, which shows the Kurdish Folklore, in addition to the typical foods, along side the foreign products.

Generally speaking, Markets are very interested in Hawler city. At the city center, near the Hawler Castle, there is a place called "Qaysari", this is a great place for shopping, it contains about thousand shops selling different kinds of goods, from whatever you want; shoes, clothes for different ages and sexes, fabrics, make-up, foods; local and foreign foods, even folkloric manufactures and gold sellers.

Of course this is not only Markets here in Hawler, we have too many other markets, like: Iskan St. Markets which will be open till 1:00 am, Tayrawa Shopping centers, Koran Shopping centers, beside so many supermarkets and malls which have been opened since 2003, including: Kok Supermarket, New City Shopping Center, Modern City Mall, Naza Mall, and many others, to name but few.

Muthafariya Markets, they are located in the Muthafariya Qr., opposite to the Governorate Building, the majority of the shops in this market are specialized in selling computers and IT technologies, including spare parts and accessories. Beside a leading Model Cloth Shops "Al-Sultan Market", they are really leading in this field, but their goods are very expensive.


The most crowded St. at night will be Iskan St with all the markets on both sides of the street, it's a short street, but very popular and crowded, the shops and markets will be open till late night, 1:00 am.

Iskan Street located in Iskan Qr. and connects the 30m St. to the 60m Street, everything available there, from clothes to foods.

There is also a very nice small garden, nearly in the middle of the St., "Brusik Garden", having two sides, one for families.

This is a picture of Khanzad Hotel, Five Stared Hotel, Situated on Erbil - Salahaddin Highway, composed of 6 Stories, 96 Rooms, Modern Luxury Hotel; Constructed Parallel to Khanzad Mountain; Wide Attached Areas Surrounded by Forests; Offering Various Services to Tourists. Watching over Rural Areas, Valleys & Mountains; About 15 km off Erbil City Center.

The Khanzad Hotel is built atop a hill some five kilometers from Shaqlawa. Its location is symbolic of its aspiration to represent the highest standards of service and hotelerie in the Kurdistan Region.

Build just before 2003 and once the American "invaded" Iraq become the official place for them, and by this the owner made a huge benefits.

This is a simple picture of "Martyr Sami Abdur-Rahman Park", made by the KRG, at first named "Hawler Park" but after the deadly explosions which targeted both Headquarters of the PUK and PDK, they changed the name to this name.

The park is situated on 60-m St, opposite to Kurdistan Parliament Building. It is beautiful, integrated and of tourist peculiarity.

I've heard too many times, that it's a largest park in all over the middle east, but I never read about it, so I don't know it's or not, but to be honest, it's very big, in a way you may be miss in it if you don't know it well.

It includes a swimming pool, statues, restaurants, and they added car parking garage lately.

Beside that recently the made a very big hall just between the Garage and the main Park, for the international shows, for example the last international book show and the Italian show, held there.

I have too many recent pictures of this great place, will upload them soon, so check it up... :)

Museum and Archaeological Sites in Hawler

The history of Hawler dates back to over 6,000 years BC, which is the oldest continuously inhabiting city in the world, by this, Hawler will be a very great place which contains many archaeological materials which will be very important, not only for the Kurdish or Iraqi people, but for he Humanity as a whole.

This is Erbil Civilization Museum, the museum is on Kirkuk Road between the 30m street and the 60m street, just opposite to the Kurdistan International Bank, near Sheraton Hotel.

It is rich in various antiquities, statues, remains of Erbil & surrounding areas ancient civilization.

It holds a great archaeological library that is of benefit for historians and archaeologists. You can see obviously how neglected from the first sight, unfortunately this is a case in all the great buildings in our area.

This is Khanzad Castle lies on Erbil-Shaqlawa road and is one of the archaeological sites in the city of Erbil. It dates back to Soran Principality period when Princes ruled (Sulaiman Beg and Princess Khanzad) in Soran district whose capital was Rawandooz then.

In the media rule of Abbasids, there had been a small emirate in the mountainous area, to the east of Erbil City. It was established by the princes of Zarzariya Tribe. Its castle "Deween Castle" was considered to be the greatest and most famous in the region. The emirate was the main center for political entities in the area. The castle is located on the top of a mountain, looking down upon a great river. The princes of this emirate are believed to be the affiliates of "Shadi Bin Marwan", who was the chief of Rawand Tribe, who were residing the village close to Deween Castle. He was one of the grandfathers of Salahaddin Al-Ayyoubi.

Some Resorts in Hawler

Hawler is well known for resorts, like Permam (Salahaddin), Shaqlawa, Jundyan, Haji Omaran , Choman, Rawanduz, Gully Ali Beg, and to mention but few.

This is an old picture of Bekhal Resort, which located about 140 km away from Erbil governorate center, east of Gully Ali Beg, 10 km off Rawandooz district. The maximum temperature is 32 degrees Celsius in summer.

The resort is accessible via Gally Ali Beg road or Rawandooz district. It has a huge cataract with pure water falling down the mountain. There are several folk restaurants and other entertaining places.

From early spring to late autumn, tourists head for the resort.

It's being awhile I didn't go to these resorts. I should revise myself.

Gully Ali Beg Resort which is about 130 km off Erbil governorate center. It is one of the attractive and beautiful resorts in Kurdistan Region. It extends for 12 km between Korak and Bradost Mountains, forming a magnificent landscape.

The Gully is round 800 m above sea level, with maximum temperature 35 degrees Celsius in summer and 10 degrees below freezing in winter. In the gulley two rivers meet-one springs from Alana Valley, Khalifan sub-district; the other from Rawandooz district and Bekhal Resort. At the gulley entrance, both meet Seedakan River to form the Great Zab.

In addition to the major waterfall, there are several cascades. The resort is featured by its mountainous terrain and various trees. It is a gorgeous place for recreational picnics; it has a number of restaurants and other entertaining spots. In spring and summer, tourists head for the resort where there are private places for families.

The Iraqi Government used this picture on one of the monetary units, from old days till now.

Jundyan Resort which is about 147 km off Erbil city centre, 5 km from Soran district. It lies at the bottom of Hndreen Mountain; with maximum temperature 32 degrees Celsius in summer. Jundyan resort is famed for its magic sweet water spring flowing out of Hndreen Mountain bottom.

It is surrounded by varied trees. The Regional Government took care of this resort, including a restaurant, and other recreational and private places for tourist families.

The Choly Minaret

As we said previously that Hawler is well-known for having a Castle in the center of the city and secondly, for having a Minaret known as The Choly Minaret, which located in the west region of Hawler city.

They Choly Minaret which is 36 m high, was built between 1190-1232 (630 – 586 according to Islamic Calendar) during the reign of Muzaffar Al-Din Abu Sa’eed Al-Kawkaboori, the king of Erbil.

The minaret is composed of a high octagonal base and a tall cylindrical shaft, with a balcony located between the base and the shaft.

It’s built of baked bricks, the base is decorated with two tiers of niches with pointed arches, two on each of the eight faces that are inscribed in rectangular frames.

The balcony parapet is carved with twenty-four small niches, the access door to the minaret steps is on the eastern side of the octagonal base and leads top to the balcony. From there a small door gives access to steps inside the cylindrical shaft that led to the second balcony now collapsed.

The shaft tapers inward and is decorated with several bands of interlocking diagonal Hazar-Baf motifs that are separated with thin bands. Peculiarly splendid "Kufi", which is a type of Arabic handwritings, calligraphy can be seen, the names of Muhammad and Mas'oudi Muhammadi the builders of the Minaret were inscribed.

I have these two old photos of The Choly Minaret, but have some other new pictures, and will try to upload them soon.

Kurdistan Region as a Model for Religious Coexistence and Tolerance

Kurdish people are well-known for their tolerance and their respect to the other religions other than they believe in. I've heard more than one time that in Akre and Amedi towns, which located on the Iraq - Turkey border and belongs to the Duhok Province, the Church is just beside the Mosque.

This is not only a talk, let's bring some proofs, on 3rd of March 2008, the news comes from PUK Media that Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani met a high ranking delegation from International Peace Messengers Union in Salah El-Din resort, Irbil Province, on the behalf that the Union has chosen Kurdistan Region as a model for religious and ethnic coexistence. The Union also introduced to President Barzani a certification for his role in achieving peace and joint coexistence.

President Barzani appreciated this step, and emphasized his support for the goals of the Union.

Here I am going to upload 3 pictures that proves that Kurdistan is a Model for Religious Coexistence and Tolerance.





This is a very nice shot, for the largest and the most well-decorated Mosque here in Kurdistan, Jaleel Khayat and his sons Mosque, located on the 60m St., just on the other side of Shorsh Overpass.

They spent more than 7 years to build this Mosque.






St. Joseph Church, this church is located on Erbi-Ainkawa main road. Ainkawa is a town near Hawler city, most of it's population are Christian, and after 1991 became a local site for all foreign NGO in the region.

St. Joseph Church is one of the eminent churches in Ainkawa subdistrict. Its total area is 10000 M2 of which the premises take up 950 M2.

In 1978, it was built according to the ancient Babylonian design.



Al-Sawwaf Mosque, one of the largest mosque here in Hawler, if not in the Kurdistan all it's located on the Thirty Meters St., next to the Kurdistan Region Bank, Hareem Bank.

It constructed in the year 2003 according to Islamic architecture. It combines between modernism an heritage.

It has very beautiful and amazing look, actually the process of building starts during 90ies of the past century, on a relatively large area. They said that the fund for building this mosque comes from an old Saudian Muslim widow, may Allah bless her.

Hawler in 90ies

It's not rare to see snowing in Hawler, but it's not common too, this is very nice shoot showing Hawler Castle covered with snow.





The last 2 pictures, is more modern, they may return to late 90ies.

Some other pictures of Hawler

Hawler at night, showing the Gov. Building just beside the Castle.

Hawler in 80ies and 90ies

You can see how life changing, these pictures taken during last decades of last century.


Look, you can't find any buildings around "Delalxana". Beside, the Ibin Mustawfi's Stature yet not placed on the main gate to the Castle.




Usual appearance of Hawler Castle in the Spring time.

Some Old Pictures of Hawler 3

Selected Views of Hawler Castle

Some other unique pictures, selected views to the Hawler Castle...


The usual and traditional balcony of the Hawler Castle.




An aerial view of Hawler Castle, locating in the middle of the old city.

Talking about Erbil, Hawler City

Arbil, also known as Erbil, Irbil and of course Hawler in Kurdish, along with other 2 cities, namely: Sulaimanya and Dohuk, constituting the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in the north of Iraq.

I said constitute the "KRG" but not Iraqi Kurdistan, or South Kurdistan, as this doesn't include too many other places, including Kirkuk, North and East Mosul, and other cities and towns.

The Arbil Governorate lies between 43, 45/22' longitudinal parallels, eastwards and 35, 37/15' latitudinal parallels, northwards.

Thus, it is situated south of the Great Kurdistan, north of Federal Iraq and in the middle of Kurdistan Region. Geographically, the city of Erbil extends over a vast plain, with 1300 ft. above sea level.

Arbil is a dividing line between Great Zab and Little Zab. The capital of Kurdistan, Arbil is 350 km off the Federal Iraqi metropolis, Baghdad. It is bounded by the city of Sulaimaniya in the east; Great Zab, cities of Mosul and Dohuk from the west; Kirkuk from the south and to the north there are Tukey-Iran borders.

Since the ancient eras, Erbil has been an administrative, military and commercial centre, maintaining its value and fame. Hence it is an old city, having names dating back to 4000 BC. In the Sumerian King's (Shulgi) writings it was known as (Urbillum); in the Babylonian and

Assyrian inscriptions, referred to as (Arbaello)-i.e. the four gods. Under the Babylonians, Ishtar Temple was centered there. In cuneiform manuscripts it was known as (Ay Kshan Klama) which means (Region Lady's Home). It was the temple housing Assyrian gods; therefore one can see sculpted pictures of King (Banipal 627-688 BC); many Assyrian kings' pictures who had lived in the region; besides a bronze-made statue of Ishtar goddess. Owing to the city's significance, the Assyrian King (Sennacherib 681-750 BC) stored its underground water in 22 km marble-built tunnel extending from Murtka village to Erbil. On the water spring gate Sennacherib wrote the following:

Erbil was the Assyrian Empire's Capital under Sargon of Akkad (705-721 BC). At that time Erbil had been at the peak of civilisational and constructional progress.

Following the fall of Nineveh in 612 BC, it became a part of the Medes's State; however, after the World War I, it became part of Iraq's lands.

Erbil witnessed many events and wars. The most well-known battle was (Arbella) in (331 BC) between Alexander of Macedonia and Dara III, the last Persian Emperor. Erbil is also designated as the city of Holako's Downfall, because all Holako's attempts to penetrate this city ended to a big failure and finally he pulled out his army (1235 A.D.)

Pre-Islamic Periods Witnessed by Erbil:

1. Sumerian Period.

2. Assyrian Period.

3. Persian Period.

4. Sasanid Period.

5. Safavid Period.

6. Parthian Period.

Post-Islam Principalities Ruling in Erbil:

1. Hazbanian Principality.

2. Baktakmina Principality.

3. Kurdish Mazinjan Principality.

Here is some old pictures of the Old Hawler city.