Shafaq News- Erbil

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Wednesday inaugurated the Kurdistan Youth Center in Erbil, one of the largest and most advanced youth centers in the region, according to the center's operator, Kurdistan Foundation.

سەرۆکی حکومەت؛ گەنجانی کوردستان دواڕۆژی وڵاتەكەمانن و ڕۆڵی کارایان هەیە لە دروستكردنی ئاییندەیەکی باشترئێوارەی ئەمڕۆ چوارشەممە 6/10، مەسرور بارزانی، سەرۆکی حکومەتی هەرێمی کوردستان، لە ڕێورەسمێکی تایبەتدا ناوەندی گەنجان Youth Hub - ی کردەوە، کە گەورەترین و پێشکەوتووترین ناوەندی… pic.twitter.com/SQdnHXDyFt

— KRG Dept. of Media & Information (@DMI_KRG) June 10, 2026

The center is designed as a comprehensive platform for young people to develop skills, pursue learning opportunities, and build professional and social networks. It follows international management standards and has already attracted more than 1,400 members during its pilot phase.

The facility includes a library containing more than 12,000 books, advanced technology and training spaces, sports facilities, and areas dedicated to innovation, entrepreneurship, and professional development. During its trial period, the center welcomed more than 129,000 visitors.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Kurdish PM Masrour Barzani considered the project a “source of pride” for the Kurdistan Region, and it would provide young people with opportunities to develop their abilities without having to seek similar resources abroad.

He also encouraged young Kurds to learn about their nation's history and recognize that the achievements enjoyed in the Kurdistan Region today are the “result of decades of struggle and sacrifice by the Kurdish people and the Peshmerga.”

Shafaq News- Al-Sulaymaniyah

Pharmacy students at Qaiwan International University inAl-Sulaymaniyah have developed and manufactured a line of cosmetic products, inwhat the university said is the first initiative of its kind in Iraq and theKurdistan Region.

The supervisorof academic activities at the university, Sana Mohammed, said the products weredeveloped according to scientific and medical standards, with a focus onproduct safety and minimizing potential side effects for users.

Local production of such preparations, she added,supports the development of Iraq's medical cosmetics sector and builds nationalmanufacturing capacity through domestic talent and expertise.

ShafaqNews- Erbil

TheKurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has moved to ease long-standing tensionswith Baghdad by proposing a permanent joint committee to address outstandingdisputes, KRG spokesperson Peshawa Hawramani noted on Wednesday.

Speakingat a press conference after a cabinet meeting in Erbil, Hawramani indicatedthat Baghdad has responded positively to the proposal, with practical stepsexpected soon to establish the joint mechanism.

Headded that the KRG is prepared to support the resumption of oil exports at fullcapacity, stressing that progress depends on guarantees from Baghdad that oilfields and energy infrastructure will remain protected, alongside assurancesthat financial obligations to international companies will be honored.

Onthe ASYCUDA customs automation system, Hawramani explained that the KRG is notopposed to the platform’s implementation but should have been informed earlier,citing the need for extensive technical and administrative preparation beforerollout.

InMarch, Baghdad and Erbil reached an agreement to resume Kurdish crude exportsthrough the Iraq–Iraq-Turkiye pipeline after nearly two years of disruption,with flows restarting at around 170,000 barrels per day. However, talks havecontinued over payment mechanisms, revenue-sharing arrangements, and guaranteessought by foreign oil companies operating in Kurdistan Region, includingmembers of the Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan (APIKUR).

Read more: Into 2026, Baghdad and Erbil face the same disputes—with higher stakes

Shafaq News-Erbil

Politicalparties in the Kurdistan Region have yet to engage positively with aninitiative put forward by KDP leader Masoud Barzani to break the ongoingpolitical deadlock and advance government formation, Fazel Mirani, head of theExecutive Committee of the Political Bureau of the Kurdistan Democratic Party(KDP), said on Wednesday.

Speaking to reportersin Erbil, Mirani explained that the initiative calls for reconciliation amongall political parties and the convening of expanded meetings to that end,adding that protecting the interests of the people of the Kurdistan Region isthe KDP's foremost priority. “If all political actors adopted this principle,90 percent of the [Kurdistan] Region's problems would find their way toresolution."

Since theOctober 2024 elections, the formation of the tenth cabinet remains stalled amiddisputes between the KDP and the Patriotic Union ofKurdistan (PUK), the two dominant political forces whose agreement is requiredfor any governing coalition to take shape. Lawmakersbriefly convened on December 3 but failed to elect a speaker or move forwardwith cabinet formation, leaving the legislature at a standstill.

Leader Barzaniissued the initiative in late May, inviting all political forces in theKurdistan Region to attend a broad meeting following the Eid al-Adha holiday,which ended on May 30. Mirani's remarks suggest the initiative has not yetproduced a formal commitment from the parties it was intended to engage.

Read more: Kurdistan’s 10th cabinet: Interlocking alliances and persistent political differences

Shafaq News-Erbil

KurdistanRegion's Integrity Commission launched a dedicated financial reward program forwhistleblowers reporting corruption cases on Tuesday, as part of its broaderanti-corruption strategy, the body's president announced.

Speaking at apress conference, Commission Head Ahmad Anwar said the body has begunactivating provisions of the Region's anti-corruption law, which grants itauthority to offer cash rewards to citizens who provide “accurate anddocumented information on corruption cases.” The value of each reward isdetermined based on the size and significance of the case.

All informationsubmitted by whistleblowers is referred to the Commission's specializedinvestigations division for verification and follow-up, Anwar said. Identitiesare fully protected under the law; those wishing to remain anonymous areregistered in a confidential system inaccessible to any outside party, whilethose willing to be identified publicly are listed among the Commission'sdeclared collaborators.

In August 2025,Erbil launched a dedicated anti-corruption hotline —reachable at 1015— allowingcitizens to report complaints and inquiries directly to the Commission, withGovernor Omed Khoshnaw and Anwar jointly announcing the service. By December2025, Anwar reported a slight rise in anti-corruption indicators for the year,with the agency recording 132 intelligence inputs, 200 reports, and a total of590 criminal cases, targeting senior officials across categories, includingabuse of office, bribery, and other integrity violations.

On broaderenforcement trends, Anwar said the number of corruption files prepared andreferred to the judiciary in the first half of 2026 rose noticeably compared tothe second half of 2025, without providing specific figures. A detailed reportcovering updated referral statistics is scheduled for release by the end ofJune.

Shafaq News- Al-Sulaymaniyah

The Kurdistan Region accounted for 14.4% of Iraq's totalpopulation, according to the latest national census, replacing the previouslyused estimate of 12.7% that Baghdad had long relied on in its dealings with theRegion, a Kurdish official told Shafaq News on Tuesday.

Shwan Kamal, director of Al-Sulaymaniyah StatisticsDirectorate, said that "the government of Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidishould take the new figure into account in future agreements with the Region,particularly those related to the federal budget and other financial andadministrative arrangements.”

Authorities are still analyzing census data to determinepoverty rates, levels of commercial, economic, and industrial activity, hesaid, adding that specialized institutions are coordinating with Iraq'sMinistry of Planning to publish additional detailed results.

According to political analyst Karzan Abdulrahman, thecensus results entitle the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to a largershare of resources than in previous years, noting that it provides services inKurdish-populated areas outside its administration. He stated that the 14.4% ofIraq’s 46.1 million population does not fully reflect the scope of thoseresponsibilities, suggesting that the proportion of Iraqis benefiting from KRGservices could exceed 20% if those areas are taken into account.

Speaking to Shafaq News, Abdulrahman indicated that KRGinstitutions continue to provide healthcare, education, municipal services, andaspects of public administration in those areas, while portions of someinstitutional budgets are allocated to serve their residents.

The November 20–21, 2024, census was Iraq’s firstcomprehensive nationwide enumeration in 37 years.

Read more: Iraq’s population surges past 46M: Burden or opportunity?

Shafaq News- Erbil

KurdistanRegion's Ministry of Finance and Economy on Tuesday criticized remarks by AdnanFayhan al-Dulaimi, First Deputy Speaker of the Iraqi Council ofRepresentatives, who had called on the federal government to halt financialtransfers to the Region pending a full financial settlement.

In an officialstatement, the Ministry said the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) hasconsistently demonstrated readiness to address any financial observations orconduct any relevant settlement, and affirmed that the Region has fulfilled allobligations stipulated under Financial Administration Law No. 6 of 2019 andFederal General Budget Law No. 13 for the years 2023, 2024, and 2025.

The Ministrytook direct aim at al-Dulaimi's framing, describing the call to suspend salariesfor one category of citizens while exempting others as "surprising andastonishing," particularly coming from an official of his institutionalrank. The statement said such a position stood in contrast to theresponsibilities of the First Deputy Speaker, who, it argued, should be amongthe most committed to protecting the rights of all citizens and ensuringequality among them.

Al-Dulaimi, onMonday, urged the federal government to cease transferring any funds to the KRGuntil a full settlement is conducted in accordance with the Budget Law and thejoint audit report prepared by the federal and regional financial oversightbodies. He cautioned that any action inconsistent with those conditions wouldexpose the government to legal accountability.

Salaries Dilemma

The salarydispute between Baghdad and Erbil dates back to 2014, when Baghdad halted thetransfer of the KRG's share of the federal budget, prompting the Region tobegin exporting oil independently to cover public salaries and services.Tensions sharpened in March 2023, when Kurdistan's oil exports throughTurkiye's Ceyhan port were suspended following an international arbitrationruling in favor of Baghdad, after which the federal government tied salarypayments to the transfer of oil revenues, classifying funds sent to the Regionas temporary advances rather than regular budget allocations.

Under Iraq's2023–2025 federal budget law, Kurdistan was allocated a total of 58.3 trillionIraqi dinars (approximately $44.8 billion) over the three-year period, butreceived only 24.3 trillion dinars, or roughly $18.7 billion, equivalent to 41%of its dues, according to KRG figures. The last salary payment transferredunder that budget cycle covered October 2025 and was deposited on December 28,2025, amounting to 942.8 billion dinars ($725 million.)

The shortfallshave continued into 2026. In February, the KRG's Ministry of Finance reportedthat more than 36 billion dinars ($27 million) had been deducted from January'ssalary funding without transfer to the Region, with some retirees receivingonly a single payment despite entitlement to several months of pension. Mostrecently, on May 26, the KRG said Baghdad transferred approximately $674.6million of the more than $735.4 million needed to cover May salaries andpensions, a gap of more than $60 million, despite the Region depositing roughly$38 million in non-oil revenues to the federal treasury before the month's end.The KRG said it would borrow funds to cover the shortfall and ensure salarieswere distributed before Eid al-Adha.

Iraq's new PrimeMinister Ali al-Zaidi personally informed KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzaniduring talks in Baghdad on May 24 that he had instructed the federal FinanceMinistry to release Kurdistan Region payroll funding regularly and withoutdiscrimination, framing equal salary treatment as a stated priority of theincoming government.

Shafaq News

In a corner of the Kurdish Book Fair in Erbil, the documents laid out in front of Adalat Omar do not look like much: yellowed files, faded photographs, names broken off mid-record, which, to her, are the last surviving proof that a particular person was once here, in many cases standing in for a grave that was never marked. For three decades, the researcher has spent her days among such papers and among the unopened burial sites they point to.

By her count, the records add up to more than half a million Kurds killed, forcibly disappeared, or caught up in campaigns of repression, displacement, and confiscation in Iraq between 1968 and the fall of the former regime in 2003. The work, she told Shafaq News on the sidelines of the fair, long ago stopped being academic and became something nearer to guarding a collective memory at risk of being forgotten.

The dictatorships that ruled Iraq did not always work in the dark, Omar stated. Many of the crimes were set down in decisions, minutes, and administrative orders, which, in a harsh irony, turn the archive into both a witness to the crime and an instrument for pursuing its truth.

"This is a historical trust," she explained, gesturing to the documents in front of her. "They documented the crimes with precision, and today we are trying to reveal them to the world."

A Ledger of the Disappeared

At the front of those files, Omar places the Anfal campaigns, whose victims she puts at 182,000. Anfal, which targeted wide areas of Kurdistan through the 1980s, is regarded, in international human-rights assessments and later Iraqi court rulings, as one of the bloodiest chapters of mass violence in modern Iraqi history.

She stops at Halabja, which on March 16, 1988, became a global symbol of chemical weapons used against civilians. Around 5,000 people died in the chemical bombardment, she estimated, alongside thousands of wounded who carried its effects in their bodies and their families for years. What makes the file harder, by her account, is that parts of it remain sealed: 63 mass graves linked to Halabja have still not been opened, for fear of chemical residue or toxic material, leaving part of the truth held underground.

Among all the files, Omar describes the case of the Feyli Kurds as the most painful and the most tangled. Here, she emphasized, the tragedy is not only an order to deport or a wave of arrests, but an attempt to take apart an entire community, its citizenship, its money, its identity, its families, its memory.

The targeting peaked between 1980 and 1990, when displacement hardened into organized policy: roughly 750,000 people uprooted, the property of large families seized, and thousands of young men detained who have never been accounted for. One phase, she clarified, began with the arrest of about 400 Feyli Kurdish merchants and the confiscation of their money, driven by their economic weight in Baghdad. The regime also reached into the home, with measures that pushed couples toward divorce and separation in exchange for privileges or rewards.

Read more: Feyli Kurds: Decades of injustice vs. Iraq's struggle to reconcile with its past

The Feylis still have no clear graves for their dead. Drawing on testimonies and documents she has gathered, Omar said many of the disappeared were never placed in conventional mass graves, and that their traces were erased by other means –an account she presents as part of a body of testimony that a dedicated national center would need to review, classify, and verify. In many of these files, the grave is missing, and the document has had to stand in its place: the name becomes the trace, the photograph a last attempt to prove that someone was here.

That gap between the crime and its full acknowledgment, she argues, is what keeps the work unfinished. More than two decades after the fall of the former regime, Iraq has still not done enough on transitional justice: not all mass graves have been opened, the records have not been gathered into a single national archive, and victims have not consistently received recognition, compensation, or restitution. Iraqi courts convicted former regime officials of genocide over the Anfal campaign in 2007, and recognized the persecution of the Feyli Kurds as genocide in a 2010 court ruling that parliament endorsed in 2011.

Back at the fair, among the visitors and the stacked books, Omar's small stand looks less like an exhibit than a place to stand against a century of silence. Every document on the table is less a record than a cry; every name is not a number but a life taken from where it belonged. The gravest danger after a genocide, she said, is that the victims are left to become passing figures in a history book, or a seasonal memory, revived on anniversaries and then allowed to fade.

Shafaq News- Erbil

Three drones targeted the Azadi campin Koya district, east of Erbil, the capital of Iraq's Kurdistan Region, sourcestold Shafaq News on Monday.

Karim Parwizi, a leader of theKurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI), said two drones fell inside thecamp, causing material damage.

A security source later confirmedthat another drone struck the camp's hospital.

No casualties were reported, Parwiziaffirmed.

No official statement has yet beenissued regarding the circumstances of the attack or the party responsible.

According to the Kurdistan RegionalGovernment (KRG), 809 drone and missile attacks were recorded across Kurdistan between February 20 andApril 20, 2026, killing 20 people and injuring 123 others.

Shafaq News- Duhok

A total of 235 displaced families living in Qadia Camphave registered to leave the camp and resettle in Iraq’s Sinjar, more than 12years after they were displaced by the ISIS offensive, a camp official revealedon Monday.

Zana Mohammed, director of the camp south of the Zakhoautonomous administration in the Kurdistan Region, told Shafaq News that theprocess has been organized into four stages, with 47 families departing in thefirst convoy and 59 more joining Monday's group.

Some residents, Mohammed added, have deferredrelocation because they still lack adequate housing in Sinjar.

Camp authorities coordinated with Iraq’s Ministry ofMigration and Displacement to complete the necessary procedures. Each householdalso received 1.558 million Iraqi dinars ($1.01K) from the InternationalOrganization for Migration, the Kurdistan Region’s migration authorities, andthe Barzani Charity Foundation to cover transportation expenses for furnitureand personal belongings.

According to Mohammed, the departures have beenparticularly emotional for children who spent most of their lives in the camp,though many families have long viewed Sinjar as their ultimate destination.

One resident, Khidr Ali, noted to Shafaq News thatleaving after 12 years is a difficult step but expressed hope that additionalservices and support would help families reestablish themselves in the district,while Khdida Hasso, another camp resident, pointed to shortcomings in publicservices and lingering security concerns, arguing that conditions are not yetsuitable for permanent resettlement.

Thousands of families fled Sinjar during the ISISoffensive in 2014. Dian Jafar, head of Duhok’s Department of Migration,Displacement, and Crisis Response, previously told Shafaq News that about110,000 Sinjar residents still live in camps and are unable to return.

Read more: Over 110,000 Sinjar residents still displaced after nearly 12 years

Shafaq News- Erbil

Erbil International Airport will suspend all flights for 72 hours following Iraq's decision to halt air traffic nationwide amid renewed Iran-Israel hostilities, airport director Ahmed Hoshyar told Shafaq News on Sunday.

The announcement followed a decision by Iraq's Civil Aviation Authority to suspend flights nationwide for the same period.

Earlier today, Iran launched four waves of missiles toward Israel, sending residents into shelters across northern and central Israel after Tehran vowed to retaliate for Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs.

Shafaq News- Al-Sulaymaniyah

The impact of Delphi Forum's success will extend throughfuture investment projects and economic initiatives, the chairman of the forumstated on Sunday.

Symeon Tsomokos told a press conference that the forumstrengthened the Kurdistan Regional Government's role in contributing toeconomic policymaking at both the Iraqi and regional levels, while enhancingits presence in global economic discussions.

He noted that the end of the forum marks the completion ofthe first phase, as a second one is beginning through bilateral meetings amongparticipating parties, and efforts to develop investment and business projectsin the commercial, industrial, agricultural, and tourism sectors.

Organizers had initially expected regional securitydevelopments and the ongoing war to affect participation levels and attendance.However, he said, the outcome proved otherwise, indicating that periods ofcrisis and conflict require greater dialogue and engagement to bring economicperspectives closer together and improve development and investment strategies.

The Second Delphi Economic Forum brought together governmentofficials, economists, and investors from Iraq and abroad to discuss investmentopportunities, economic cooperation, and development prospects in the KurdistanRegion and the wider region.

Shafaq News- Ankara

A senior Kurdistan Region delegation joined Van’s WorldBreakfast Festival on Sunday, turning the Turkish city’s Guinness-famous foodevent into a platform for tourism, trade, and cross-border ties.

The delegation included Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw, DuhokGovernor Ali Tatar, and Soran Independent Administration Supervisor HalkurdSheikh Najib.

Khoshnaw said the delegation reached Van through the Zetborder crossing, which opened in 2023 and has shortened travel between theKurdistan Region and eastern Turkiye. Officials in Van welcomed the visit,saying it would strengthen friendship, expand commercial exchange, and supporttourism between the Kurdistan Region and eastern Turkiye.

The Kurdish officials are expected to hold meetings with Vanofficials on the sidelines of the festival to discuss cooperation acrossseveral sectors.

Held on the first Sunday of June each year, the festivalcelebrates Van’s breakfast culture, one of the city’s most recognizablecultural and tourism brands.

Van gained international attention in 2014 after setting theGuinness World Record for the largest full breakfast attendance, with 51,793people taking part at Ataturk Kultur Park. The city’s breakfast table is knownfor natural local products, including herbed cheese, honey, cream, butter,murtuga, kavut, cacik, fresh bread, and Turkish tea.

Van officials and tourism promoters have linked thebreakfast tradition to the city’s dairy production, mountain herbs, plateaugrazing, and location on historic trade routes.

Shafaq News- Erbil

A drone strike targeted the Chamsharheadquarters of the Kurdistan National Army, a Kurdish group opposed to Iran,in Erbil, the capital of Iraq's Kurdistan Region, a local source told ShafaqNews on Sunday.

The identity of the drone and thoseresponsible for the strike were not immediately known.

The extent of any casualties ormaterial damage remained unclear at the time of publication.

According to the Kurdistan RegionalGovernment (KRG), 809 drone and missile attacks were recorded across Kurdistan betweenFebruary 20 and April 20, 2026, killing 20 people and injuring 123 others. Attackstargeting Iranian Kurdish opposition camps continued after that period, withShafaq News documenting at least 15 additional incidents.

Shafaq News- Duhok

US military aircraft downed twounidentified drones in Duhok province in Iraq's Kurdistan Region on Sunday, alocal source told Shafaq News.

The drones were brought down in theBajil subdistrict of Akre district, with their wreckage falling near twovillages in the area.

No casualties were reported, anddamage was limited to minor material losses at the crash sites.

No further details were immediatelyavailable regarding the drones or their origin.

Read more: Iraqi Armed factions' cross-border attacks drawlegal warnings

Shafaq News- Al-Sulaymaniyah

Kurdistan Region political forces are ready to reach a “real agreement” on forming the next Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Kurdish Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani stated on Saturday, after more than a year and a half of deadlock between the Region’s main parties.

Speaking at a press conference, Talabani called for strengthening the Region’s role within Iraq’s federal system, saying it should build stronger relations with Iraqi provinces and establish an effective partnership “from Basra to Zakho” to support stability, development, and cooperation across the country.

The next stage requires more joint work between Baghdad and Erbil to consolidate a genuine partnership and address unresolved files in a way that serves citizens across Iraq, he emphasized.

The Kurdistan Region’s tenth cabinet remains stalled despite the passage of more than 18 months since the October 2024 parliamentary elections. The vote left the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) with 39 seats and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) with 23 in the 100-seat parliament, forcing the two main Kurdish parties back into negotiations over power-sharing.

The PUK recently stated that it remained open to talks with the KDP and other political forces, while arguing that the main obstacle was not negotiations themselves but the willingness of parties to accept balance, coexistence, and mutual recognition. KDP official Pshtiwan Sadiq also said his party would resume discussions with Kurdish political forces following an initiative by party President Masoud Barzani aimed at advancing efforts to form the new cabinet.

Read more: Kurdistan Region’s political deadlock: Impact and perils

Shafaq News- Al-Sulaymaniyah

Former Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu warned onSaturday of growing global risks and declining confidence in internationalinstitutions, while praising Iraq and the Kurdistan Region for their handlingof regional tensions and the repercussions of war.

Speaking at the Delphi Economic Forum in Al-Sulaymaniyah,Davutoglu called for a new regional vision rooted in mutual understanding andrespect, arguing that Turks, Kurds, Arabs, and Iranians share a common destinyand must work together to promote peace and stability. Davutoglu also notedthat security across the region is closely interconnected, warning thatinstability in Al-Sulaymaniyah, Erbil, or Baghdad would inevitably affectTurkiye and neighboring countries.

The region and the world are entering a more dangerous phase marked bygrowing instability and declining confidence in international institutions. Heargued that current challenges exceed those of a year ago and stressed thatwars and conflicts do not produce winners, but instead deepen crises andundermine security and stability.

Süleymaniye’de Düzenlenen Delphi Forum’unda “Yeni Küresel (Düzensizlik) Forumunda konuşuyoruz. https://t.co/RbLMjDF6On

— Ahmet Davutoğlu (@Ahmet_Davutoglu) June 6, 2026

Shafaq News- Al-Sulaymaniyah

A peace agreement between the United States and Iran wouldbenefit Iraq, the head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), BafelTalabani, stated on Saturday, urging Baghdad to maintain a balanced positionbetween the two countries.

Speaking during a special dialogue session on the sidelinesof the Delphi Economic Forum, Talabani remarked that regional tensions haveharmed Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region.

Read more: Iraq's oil lifeline is blocked: Here is why the crisis runs deeper than Hormuz

On relations between Erbil and Baghdad, he pointed to theneed to build trust between the two sides, arguing that “achieving thisrequires transparency and a new political approach to managing ties between thefederal government and the Kurdistan Region.”

Regarding efforts to form the next Kurdish government,Talabani said that the new cabinet should not replicate the current model. "Wewant a government based on partnership, balance, and understanding, one thatresponds to the demands of the people of Kurdistan and works to improverelations," he remarked.

Read more: Kurdistan Region’s political deadlock: Impact and perils

Shafaq News- Erbil

Tents are spreading across riversides and mountain valleysin Iraq’s Kurdistan Region as camping shifts from a seasonal hobby into agrowing weekend escape for families and young people seeking quiet beyondcrowded cities.

Along the Khabur River in Dohuk province, touristic groupsspent the night between wooded slopes and rocky hills, gathered around smallfires as they waited for sunrise over one of the Region’s most visited naturalareas.

“We just wanted a break from city life,” one camper toldShafaq News, reflecting a sentiment increasingly common among participantstraveling the highlands and rivers.

The Kurdistan Region has experienced a steady rise indomestic tourism in recent years, with visitors arriving from across thecountry. Campers and organizers point to improved security conditions andeasier access to natural destinations as key reasons behind the expansion.

For many, the appeal lies in simplicity. Travel contentcreator Ali Jasim Mohammed Rida, known as “Ali Adventure,” has documentedIraq’s landscapes through cycling and camping trips, describing outdoor travelas a way to disconnect from routine while engaging directly with the country’svaried geography and communities.

That sense of contrast between urban pressure and outdoorcalm also surfaced among first-time campers. Yusuf Aqil recalled expectingdiscomfort on his first trip to the Khabur River, only to encounter a slowerpace built around tents, shared meals, and open space. He noted that theexperience brought together participants from different parts of Iraq in asetting that encouraged easy interaction.

The appeal, however, comes with challenges. Sudden weathershifts, long trails, and uneven terrain require preparation and discipline,according to Mohammed Baghdadi, who has camped in areas including Barwari Balain Dohuk, Goman in Erbil, Lake Noroli in Halabja, and the Sarkan Valleyforests.

He pointed out that time spent outdoors has strengthenedhabits of patience and self-reliance, while also encouraging greater attentionto environmental protection, including cleaning campsites and carrying outwaste.

Read more: Kurdistan Region braces for Eid tourism surge

Participation has widened in recent years, with morefamilies and international visitors joining trips. Campers and organizers alsonote gaps in infrastructure, particularly the need for better access roads,rescue services, and basic facilities in remote areas.

Mountain climbing remains the most demanding part of theoutdoor scene. “The hardest part is always the beginning,” mountaineer MohammedSultan remarked, describing early hesitation that gradually turns intoconfidence as climbers ascend. Reaching the summit, he added, delivers a strongsense of accomplishment despite unpredictable weather and difficult terrain.

Interest in camping and climbing has grown particularlyamong young Iraqis, driven in part by social media and a rising focus onoutdoor recreation.

For 22-year-old Bander Wathiq Al-Youssef, the attractionlies in both challenge and connection. She described the social aspect ofcamping trips, where participants from different backgrounds meet and form newfriendships, alongside the physical effort required to reach mountain peaks.

“The climb is difficult, but the view makes it worth it,”she remarked, adding that time in nature helps reduce stress and encourages amore balanced lifestyle. She also pointed to the importance of preservingnatural sites through responsible camping practices.

At the end of one trip, Mahmoud Riyadh Karim recountedinitial hesitation before joining a group, citing long travel hours and thedemands of outdoor preparation. Once in the mountains, he experienced anoticeable shift in perspective.

“Everything feels calmer when you arrive,” he remarked,recalling evenings spent around campfires sharing meals and conversation.

With relative stability and rising interest in adventuretourism, camping is gradually evolving into a broader lifestyle choice for manyIraqis, particularly younger generations seeking time outdoors away from urbanroutines.

Read more: Discover Kurdistan: The Middle East's best-kept travel secret

Shafaq News- Erbil

The partnership between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is helping strengthen the Region’s capacity to coordinate crisis response efforts, improve preparedness, and support vulnerable communities, the United Nations said, highlighting its continued support for the Joint Crisis Coordination Centre (JCC).

UNDP said it is supporting a strategic advisory mission to assess and enhance the institutional and operational readiness of the JCC, the Kurdistan Region’s lead crisis management body.

"The partnership between the Kurdistan Regional Government and UNDP has played a significant role in strengthening our ability to coordinate crisis response efforts and support the most vulnerable communities," JCC Director-General Sarwa Rasul said. "This partnership will help us build on existing achievements and further enhance our capacity to respond effectively to future crises," she added.

According to the report, the mission will review operational systems, coordination mechanisms, and crisis preparedness capacities, while identifying priorities for institutional capacity-building and future support.

Shafaq News-Erbil

KurdistanRegion President Nechirvan Barzani reaffirmed on Friday his support forenvironmental protection efforts across the Region, calling the preservation ofnatural resources a shared national and human responsibility.

In a statementon the occasion of World Environment Day, Barzani said that the KurdistanRegion remains committed to cooperating with the Iraqi government and theinternational community to safeguard natural resources and secure a healthyenvironment for future generations.

Read more: Death in the current: Pollution decimates Iraq’s river ecosystems

ئه‌مڕۆ لە ڕۆژی جیهانیی ژینگەدا، سڵاو و پێزانین ئاراستەی سەرجەم ژینگەپارێزان، ڕێکخراوەکان و لايه‌نه‌ پەیوەندیدارەکانی هه‌رێمى کوردستان دەکەم کە دڵسۆزانە بۆ پاراستنی سروشت و ژینگەى جوانی وڵاتەکەمان کار دەکەن.پاراستنی ژینگە و ڕووبەڕووبوونەوەی لێکەوتەکانی گۆڕانی ئاووهەوا، ته‌نيا ئه…

— Nechirvan Barzani (@IKRPresident) June 5, 2026

Shafaq News- Erbil

Kurdish President NechirvanBarzani and Turkish Ambassador to Iraq Anil Bora Inan discussed efforts toresolve the Kurdistan Region’s political stalemate* and address outstandingissues between Erbil and Baghdad during a meeting in Erbil on Thursday.

The talks also coveredrelations between Turkiye, Iraq, and the Region, with a focus on trade,investment, and other areas of mutual interest. Both sides stressed theimportance of maintaining close coordination on regional developments.

سەرۆک نێچیرڤان بارزانی و باڵیۆزی تورکیا دۆخی ناوچەکە تاوتوێ دەکەنhttps://t.co/s4ZkYaLOE6 pic.twitter.com/x6OMGczjum

— Kurdistan Region Presidency (@KurdistanRegion) June 4, 2026

Turkiye’s peace initiative andbroader Middle East developments were also reviewed, with Barzani and Inanemphasizing peaceful solutions to ongoing challenges.

Barzani and Inan last met onOct. 21, 2025, when they examined oil exports, water resources, and politicaldevelopments in Iraq. At the time, they welcomed the resumption of KurdistanRegion crude exports through Turkiye after more than two years of suspensionand highlighted opportunities to expand commercial and energy ties.

* Political disagreements between the two main Kurdishparties, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union ofKurdistan (PUK), have stalled government formation since the October 2024elections, in which the KDP won 39 seats and the PUK secured 23 in the100-member parliament. Lawmakers briefly convened on December 3 but failed toelect a speaker or move forward with cabinet formation, leaving the legislatureat a standstill.

Read more: Kurdistan Region’s political deadlock: Impact andperils

Shafaq News-Erbil

The KurdistanRegional Government (KRG) and the Iraqi government have reached an agreement to resumeKurdistan Region oil exports via Turkiye's Ceyhan port, according to theKurdish Ministry of Natural Resources.

The talks inBaghdad between the KRG delegation, Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, representativesof oil production companies operating in Iraqi Kurdistan, and Oil MinisterBasim Abad agreed to resume extractionand transportation of oil through the Kurdistan-Ceyhan pipeline, and the federalgovernment will bear responsibility for any attacks targeting oil fields withinIraqi territory, according to the ministry.

Kurdish PrimeMinister Masrour Barzani said Thursday that resuming the oil exports serves theeconomic interest of Iraq as a whole, reiterating the position of internationaloil companies operating in Kurdistan that legal and financial guarantees fromthe federal government are a prerequisite for sustained operations.

Speaking tojournalists, Barzani reaffirmed his government's commitment to strengtheningrelations with Baghdad, and that a KRG delegation will travel to the Iraqi capitalnext week for a new round of negotiations with senior federal officials on theoil file.

BetweenFebruary 28 and April 8, oil facilities across Iraqi Kurdistan came underperiodic attack amid the Iran-US-Israeli war, driving exports fromapproximately 200,000 barrels per day down to 20,000 and forcing producingcompanies to suspend operations. A ceasefire reached on April 8 halted theattacks and opened the way for the current negotiations.

Read more: Into 2026, Baghdad and Erbil face the same disputes—with higher stakes

Shafaq News-Erbil

The largestKurdish book fair ever held opened on Thursday in Erbil, the capital of theKurdistan Region, bringing together 150 local and specialized publishing housesin a major showcase of Kurdish literature and culture.

Shafaq Newscorrespondent said the event features writers, literary figures, alongside Kurdishpublishing houses from Turkiye, Syria, and Iran.

Theexhibition will run for several days and is the first event of its kind interms of both scale and specialization in Kurdish books.

Read more: Kurdish language: How Kurdistan is bridging dialects to preserve a rich heritage?

Shafaq News- Erbil

Kurdistan Region President NechirvanBarzani on Thursday mourned the death of Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Ishaqal-Fayyadh, describing him as one of the most prominent religious and scholarlyauthorities in Iraq and the Islamic world.

Barzani credited al-Fayyadh withleaving a lasting mark on Iraq's religious and intellectual life and helpingentrench the values of moderation, tolerance, and wisdom throughout decades ofscholarship, teaching, and public service.

نتقدم بأحر التعازي وصادق المواساة بوفاة سماحة آية الله العظمى الشيخ محمد إسحاق الفياض، أحد أبرز المراجع الدينية والعلمية في العراق والعالم الإسلامي، والذي كرّس حياته للعلم والتعليم وخدمة المجتمع.برحيله، فقد العراق قامة كبيرة تركت أثرًا بارزًا في الحياة الدينية والفكرية، وأسهمت…

— Nechirvan Barzani (@IKRPresident) June 4, 2026

Earlier today, Iraq declared threedays of national mourning following al-Fayyadh's death at the age of 96 aftersuffering health complications. Born in Afghanistan in 1930, al-Fayyadh movedto the holy city of Najaf at a young age to pursue religious studies and lateremerged as one of the seminary's foremost scholars, attracting millions offollowers across the Shiite world.