SNAPSHOTS: scenes of diversity from ethnically rich Kirkuk
17-07-2015
17 Photos
Rudaw goes inside the ancient city's bazaar to speak with locals
The Shahidan (Martyrs) Bridge, in the center of Kirkuk next to the Bazaar, on July 12. The statue represents the Turkmen poet Aiden. A picture of Ali Mardan, the famous Kurdish singer, is also seen in the background. Photo by: Farzin Hassan
People of Kirkuk with diverse ethnic and religious background set up their tiny shops in the center of the city near the ancient citadel on July 12. Photo by: Farzin Hassan
Kirkuk has an enormously diverse population of Kurds, Arabs, Turkmen, Assyrians and other minorities. The city experienced dramatic demographic changes in the course of the 20th century.
Since ISIS overrun parts of Iraq in 2014, Kirkuk has been secured by Kurdish Peshmerga forces. Outside the city, there are Shiite militias known as Hashd al-Shaabi, and inside the city a slight present of Iraqi security forces. Photo by: Farzin Hassan
Shops sell nuts and sweets in the Kirkuk Bazaar on July 12, a week prior to Eid al-Fitr, which marks end of Muslim’s holy month of Ramadan. Photo by: Farzin Hassan
Kurds have a long history in Kirkuk going back to the 18th century when the area was known as Sharazour, in the present-day Kurdistan region. Photo by: Farzin Hassan
In Kirkuk’s downtown area, shop owners sell colorful fabrics, usually used for traditional Kurdish dresses. Arabs and Turkmen customers were also shopping in the area on July 12. Photo by: Farzin Hassan