Contingency Planning Validated: Analysis of Erbil's Holiday Period Security, Service, and Infrastructure Performance
Erbil authorities said New Year plans from Dec. 25, 2025, to Jan. 1, 2026, succeeded as 88,341 tourists arrived, security incidents were contained, hospitals handled heavy demand, and record rainfall caused no flooding.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Erbil entered 2026 with a test of capacity and resilience, as tens of thousands of visitors poured into the capital during the New Year holidays and unusually heavy rainfall swept the city—yet authorities reported stability across security, services, health care, and infrastructure, with no flooding recorded in residential areas.
In a comprehensive official statement, the Office of the Erbil Governor announced the success of security, service, and health plans implemented during the Christmas and New Year holidays, spanning from Dec. 25, 2025, to Jan. 1, 2026. The report said Erbil managed to accommodate large numbers of visitors while maintaining full stability and containing risks posed by extreme weather conditions.
The General Directorate of Tourism recorded the entry of 88,341 tourists through checkpoints and entry points across the governorate within one week. Special committees supervised hotels, restaurants, and tourist sites to ensure service quality for visitors, most of whom arrived from central and southern Iraqi provinces, as well as from abroad.
Erbil was described as Iraq’s leading tourist destination during holiday periods, citing its security stability, moderate climate, and advanced hotel infrastructure. The Kurdistan Regional Government, according to the statement, has been seeking to reduce dependence on oil revenues by strengthening income from the tourism sector.
On the security front, the Erbil Police Directorate reported the registration of 86 different incidents and crimes during the holiday period. Authorities said 85 cases were resolved and suspects arrested, while one case remains under investigation. The Asayish security forces confirmed their full readiness, deploying personnel across vital intersections to secure celebrations held at Shanidar Park, Peshmerga Park, and the city center, without recording any significant security breaches.
Public safety and traffic incidents
Despite the deployment of 1,050 traffic officers and personnel, the Traffic Directorate recorded 17 traffic accidents caused by speeding and failure to comply with regulations. The accidents resulted in one fatality and nine injuries. In the civil defense sector, authorities reported control over a single fire incident, which caused material damage but no loss of life.
Health sector: 294 births recorded
Hospitals in Erbil experienced intensive medical activity during the holiday period, receiving 5,486 patients and performing 502 surgical operations. In a notable development, the governorate recorded 294 births—127 boys and 156 girls—reflecting the preparedness of maternity hospitals and medical staff to handle emergency conditions.
Weather conditions posed the most significant challenge. Recorded rainfall reached 230.6 millimeters during the period, compared with 43 millimeters during the same timeframe last year, marking an increase of 187.6 millimeters. Despite the sharp rise, authorities said no flooding occurred within residential neighborhoods.
In previous years, particularly in 2021 and 2022, Erbil suffered destructive floods that caused human and material losses. Since then, the governorate has invested heavily in constructing large-scale water drainage channels and expanding natural valley routes, measures that officials said proved effective this year in protecting the city despite heavy rainfall.
Municipal services and external roads
Municipal teams removed thirty tons of waste on New Year’s Eve alone to restore the city’s appearance. Meanwhile, the Directorate of Roads and Bridges carried out extensive operations using 72 vehicles to reopen mountainous and remote roads. Authorities said 180 tons of salt were used to melt snow and secure traffic across 1,100 kilometers of main roads, particularly in Koya district and elevated areas.
The Erbil Governorate concluded its statement by thanking security forces, medical teams, and sanitation workers who continued working throughout the holidays, while also praising the awareness and cooperation of citizens and tourists, which it said contributed to concluding the celebrations in a safe and orderly manner.