14 Beautiful Photos Of Erbil, The Capital Of Iraqi Kurdistan That ISIS Is Targeting

Harrison Jacobs

Aug 12, 2014, 10:56 IST

Erbil, Kurdistan at night.

The Islamic State, or ISIS, has been taking down swaths of territory in northern Iraq and Syria in recent weeks. Between taking the city of Mosul, targeting the Yazidis (an ethno-religious minority in Iraq), and battling the Kurdish peshmerga, ISIS has moved increasingly towards Kurdistan, the de facto state of northern Iraq's Kurds.

Amid the chaos, U.S. officials and northern Iraqis have fled to Erbil, the capital of Kurdistan. President Obama authorized military strikes against ISIS should they threaten Erbil.

With a population of 1.5 million, Erbil is the largest city in Kurdistan. It is also one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, with life in the city dating as far back 6000 BC.

Since the winding down of the Iraq War, Erbil has become a hub for development, leading some to question whether it could become the next Dubai.

We gathered some photos of the progressive city that ISIS has in its sights.

This is where Erbil is located on the map. It is far north of Baghdad, but just 55 miles from ISIS-controlled Mosul.

Mariwan Salihi/Flickr

Erbil is very liberal city, compared with the rest of the Middle East. As Kurdistan is both largely secular and religiously diverse, Erbil has a busy nightlife scene, with dozens of bars, liquor stores, clubs, and restaurants opening in the last 10 years. Many consider its busy nightlife scene to be rivaled only by Dubai and Beirut in the Middle East.

Jeffrey Beall/Flickr

This is Erbil International Airport. Though an airport has been located on the site since the 1970s, a brand new one with modern amenities was built in 2010.

Jeffrey Beall/Flickr This is downtown Erbil, the main hub of development in the city. In 2013, Dubai's Emaar Properties announced that it was investing $3 billion into downtown Erbil. The proposed investment would go towards building houses, apartments, offices, hotels, and parks.

Jeffrey Beall/Flickr

This is what downtown looks like at night. In the distance are a number of the towers that are currently being built or have just opened in downtown Erbil.

Mariwan Salihi/Flickr

Erbil's major tourist attraction is the Citadel, the historical city center of Erbil. It was been inhabited since the 5000 BC and has been a major cultural center numerous different cultures. It is a UNESCO Heritage site.

LaChicaPhoto/Flickr This is what it looks like closer up. The Citadel is located on a mound that archaeologists think conceals the remains of ancient cultures. It features a continuous wall with 19th century facades, giving it the look of a fortress.

Jeffrey Beall/Flickr

This what it looks like inside the Citadel.

James Gordon/Flickr

There is a wealth of development at the base of the Citadel. Shar Park features numerous fountains, brick arcades, and a clock tower. It also features numerous cafes and teashops.

Diyar Se/Wikimedia Commons

The Mudhafaria Minaret is nearly 120 feet tall. It is all that remains of a massive mosque built in the 1100s.

James Gordon/Flickr

The Quaysari Bazaar in Erbil is one of the oldest in the world. It wraps around the entire southern half of the Citadel.

Adam Jones/Flickr

The Bazaar is a bustling center of life in Erbil. You can literally find anything there from food to clothes to books and electronics.

Jeffrey Beall/Flickr Like other economic hubs in the Middle East, Erbil has recently begun opening mega-malls. The Family Mall Erbil opened in 2010 with over 100 retail stores that carry major Western brands like Zara, DKNY, Rolex, Armani, and Levi's. Family Mall is also located directly next to a new amusement park.