Hawraman tourist sites see strong turnout on second day of Eid

HALABJA — Tourist areas in Hawraman, including Zalm and Ahmad Awa, saw large numbers of visitors on the second day of Eid al-Adha, with local authorities reporting full readiness to welcome guests.

Nilufer Salah, a tourist from Sulaymaniyah, told 964media she had come with relatives from Iranian Kurdistan to visit Zalm. “The weather here is cool and pleasant, and we often visit Hawraman’s tourist spots, especially Ahmad Awa, because we think it’s more beautiful than anywhere else,” she said. “We extend Eid greetings to all of Kurdistan.”

Hawraman Jalal, spokesperson for the Halabja tourism directorate, said visitor turnout had met expectations and that preparations were in place. “We’re working continuously with the district office, local police, traffic police, health services, and civil defense teams to ensure no price hikes or violations occur,” Jalal told 964media, adding that hygiene, cleanliness, and food quality were being closely monitored.

Eid al-Adha, also known as the Festival of Sacrifice, is one of the two major Islamic holidays observed by Muslims worldwide, the other being Eid al-Fitr.

In earlier comments to 964media, Jalal said the region had prepared to receive more than 85,000 visitors during the Eid holiday in Halabja and the surrounding Hawraman tourism zones.

Located approximately 75 kilometers southeast of Sulaymaniyah, Halabja was recently designated Iraq’s 19th governorate. The area is known as a prominent tourist destination, drawing large numbers of visitors annually from across the Kurdistan Region and other Iraqi governorates.