Mergasor district is famous for its forests and wildlife

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Mergasor, a district 130 kilometers (about 80 miles) north of Erbil, is a rugged, mountainous area on the edge of a valley. It is famous for its forest, natural crops, and fruit.

Mergasor includes five sub-districts: Barzan, Sherwan Mazin, Mazne, Gorato, and Perrin. In addition, the area has 252 villages, 170 of which were rebuilt after the Anfal campaign.

Mergasor is rich with wild animals, and much of the area is unspoiled. Hunting is strictly prohibited. Locals, hunters, and tourists respect the law.

"It is a good thing. We can see deer and other wild animals on the streets," said Kirmanj Ghazi, a local tourist, and a hunter. "I never hunt in this area because I respect their law, but I enjoy this place as a tourist. I love it."

Besides its forests and wild animals, the Mergasor district is well known for Shanidar Cave, The Graveyard of Martyrs, Rezan Summer Resort, Meydanok, and several other unique resorts.

Shanidar Cave is located on the Bradost Mountain in the Mergasor district. Famous for its triangular shape, the cave is 2,200 meters above sea level, 18 meters high, and 40 meters deep.

"It is one of the largest and most ancient caves in Iraq, dating back to 60,000 B.C.," said Mazin Khidir, a local historian. "The Peshmerga used the cave as a hideout during revolutionary times. The cave was first excavated in 1951 when archaeologists managed to date it by analyzing its stone layers."

The Graveyard of Martyrs is located in the village of Barzan, 155 km north of Erbil city. It contains the graves of the legendary Kurdish leader Mustafa Barzani and his eldest son Idris.

The graveyard is visited by hundreds of thousands of people annually from different parts of Iraq and abroad. Officials and delegations also come here to pay homage to the great leader of Kurdistan.

In the east of Barzan municipality, 23 km from Mergasor district, lies the graveyard of 503 Barzan Martyrs, victims of the 1983 campaigns in Qushtapa, Harir, Dyana, and Bahreka.

"During these campaigns, 8,000 members of the Barzani tribe were martyred, buried alive in the desert areas of southwest Iraq," said Khidir. "Exact numbers of those killed during the Anfal campaign are hard to come by, but more than 200,000 Kurds are thought to have met the same fate."

Rezan Summer resort lies 22 km southeast of Barzan and 134 km from Erbil. It is 1,200 meters above sea level. Rezan amusement park is on the road to Namran Shrine, on the banks of the Rezan River. The resort offers a wonderful climate and fresh springs for people to visit during the hot summer months.

"Rezan is incredible," said Ghazi. "I visit this area at least once a year. You can feel the fresh air, zero pollution. It is just a part of paradise."

Meydanok forest is 979 meters above sea level and lies between Mergasor and Soran, 128 km from Erbil city. The forest is large and contains many distinct types of trees. The area is undeveloped and protected, so hunting and chopping down trees are prohibited.