IN PHOTOS: Sulaimani celebrates New Year

In keeping with a tradition established in recent years, the people of Sulaimani took to the city’s streets for a nightly stroll, enjoying festivities and bustling crowds celebrating the arrival of the new year.

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – In keeping with a tradition established in recent years, the people of Sulaimani took to the city’s streets for a nightly stroll, enjoying festivities and bustling crowds celebrating the arrival of the new year. 

Since the fall of the former Iraqi regime in 2003, Sulaimani’s Salim Street has been the center of such activities, commonly abuzz with marches and other annual commemorations.

Now, these events now have generally been limited to the Kurdish New Year, known as Newroz and observed on March 21, and the Gregorian calendar's New Year's Eve, held last night. 

For both, the entire road is closed down to vehicular traffic hours before nightfall, with security forces guarding both ends to ensure public safety and both restaurants and street vendors seeing to their culinary needs.

On this particular occasion, Salim was again flooded with throngs of revelers as they walked from end to end, often stopping at the vendors' food stands for a snack.

Various residents and also launched fireworks in celebration. The city’s iconic Grand Millennium hotel, however, boasted the most spectacular pyrotechnics performance as the clock rang midnight. 

Editing by John J. Catherine

Youths in Sulaimani play air horns on New Year's eve.
Youths in Sulaimani play air horns on New Year's eve.
Sulaimani's Salim Street on New Year's eve flooded with locals some of whom paused at food stands for a snack.
Sulaimani's Salim Street on New Year's eve flooded with locals some of whom paused at food stands for a snack.
The people of Sulaimani took to the streets of the city on New Year's eve in a celebratory march.
The people of Sulaimani took to the streets of the city on New Year's eve in a celebratory march.
The people of Sulaimani took to the streets of the city on New Year's eve in a celebratory march. (Photo: Kurdistan 24/Ibrahim Fatah)
The people of Sulaimani took to the streets of the city on New Year's eve in a celebratory march. (Photo: Kurdistan 24/Ibrahim Fatah)
The people of Sulaimani took to the streets of the city on New Year's eve in a celebratory march. (Photo: Kurdistan 24/Ibrahim Fatah)
The people of Sulaimani took to the streets of the city on New Year's eve in a celebratory march. (Photo: Kurdistan 24/Ibrahim Fatah)
The people of Sulaimani took to the streets of the city on New Year's eve in a celebratory march.
The people of Sulaimani took to the streets of the city on New Year's eve in a celebratory march.
The people of Sulaimani took to the streets of the city on New Year's eve in a celebratory march.
The people of Sulaimani took to the streets of the city on New Year's eve in a celebratory march.
The people of Sulaimani took to the streets of the city on New Year's eve in a celebratory march.
The people of Sulaimani took to the streets of the city on New Year's eve in a celebratory march.
The people of Sulaimani took to the streets of the city on New Year's eve in a celebratory march.
The people of Sulaimani took to the streets of the city on New Year's eve in a celebratory march.
Fireworks at a hotel in Sulaimani on New Year's eve.
Fireworks at a hotel in Sulaimani on New Year's eve.
The people of Sulaimani took to the streets of the city on New Year's eve in a celebratory march.
The people of Sulaimani took to the streets of the city on New Year's eve in a celebratory march.
Sulaimani's Salim Street on New Year's eve flooded with locals some of whom paused at food stands for a snack.
Sulaimani's Salim Street on New Year's eve flooded with locals some of whom paused at food stands for a snack.
The people of Sulaimani took to the streets of the city on New Year's eve in a celebratory march.
The people of Sulaimani took to the streets of the city on New Year's eve in a celebratory march.