Kurdistan
People carrying torches in Akre as part of the Newroz celebrations on March 20, 2019.Photo Bilind T. Abdullah/Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Lighting Newroz fires will be allowed in the Kurdistan Region, officials have told Rudaw, but large gatherings will not be permitted due to the spread of coronavirus.
“No lockdown has been announced this year as opposed to last year, but no party will be held,” Majid Said Salih, Duhok’s deputy governor told Rudaw on Wednesday.
“This year, despite taking preventative measures and adhering to the health ministry’s guidelines, lighting Newroz fires are allowed, but crowds and parties are not allowed, and lighting fires should be in accordance with health and environmental guidelines,” added Salih.
No party will be held in Akre but there will be fireworks and the traditional fire will be lit, its mayor Mazin Mohammed Said told Rudaw on Sunday.
Akre, known as the capital of Newroz, lights huge fires atop the town’s surrounding mountains on the Kurdish New Year and people march up the hill with torches.
This year around 200 torches have been readied for the day to be carried up a hill where a 60-meter flag of Kurdistan will be displayed, Polis Ali Said, one of the volunteers preparing the torches told Rudaw on Sunday.
Sulaimani governor Haval Abubakir has said lighting Newroz fires is allowed in the province, but only in specific places. Parties and “crowded gatherings” are not allowed, but families can have picnics and go into nature.
Last Newroz saw a total lockdown in place after the Kurdistan Region recorded its first cases of the coronavirus at the beginning of March.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) health ministry announced on Wednesday that it had recorded 541 new cases of the virus in 24 hours - its highest single day case total in months.
Iraq also recorded its highest-ever single day total of coronavirus cases on Wednesday, according to health ministry data, with 5,663 cases recorded in 24 hours.
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