Kalar (Kelar): Capital of the Garmian
- Jamal Latif
- 3 hours ago
- 4 min read
Introduction
Kalar (Kurdish: Kelar) is a Kurdish city in the south of Iraqi Kurdistan, the main town of the warm lowland region of Garmian. Set on the Sirwan river near the edge of the Kurdistan Region, it is best known for the handsome nineteenth-century Sherwana Castle of the Jaff princes — and for the surrounding Garmian country, which suffered terribly in the Anfal genocide.
A fast-growing city in a region of both deep tribal history and recent tragedy, Kalar sits at the meeting point of the Kurdish mountains and the plains of Iraq. This profile looks at the city, its castle, and its land.
Key Takeaways
• Kalar (Kurdish: Kelar) is a Kurdish city in Sulaymaniyah Governorate, in the Garmian region of southern Iraqi Kurdistan.
• It is the main city of Garmian, a warm lowland area on the Sirwan (Diyala) river.
• Its landmark is Sherwana Castle, a 19th-century fortress of the Jaff tribe.
• Kalar lies in the heartland of the Jaff, one of the largest Kurdish tribes.
• The Garmian region was devastated during the 1988 Anfal genocide.
Quick Facts
Name (Kurdish): Kelar
Country / Region: Iraq (Bashur / Kurdistan Region)
Governorate: Sulaymaniyah (Garmian Administration)
Region: Garmian (“the warm land”)
River: Sirwan (Diyala)
Landmark: Sherwana Castle
Tribe: Jaff heartland
History: Devastated in the 1988 Anfal genocide
Contents
Where Is Kalar?
Kalar lies in the far south of Sulaymaniyah Governorate, on the Sirwan river in the lowland region of Garmian, close to the boundary with federal Iraq and not far from Khanaqin. Unlike the cool mountain towns to the north, Kalar sits in hot, open country where the Kurdish highlands give way to the plains — the “warm land” that gives Garmian its name.
Its position on the river and on the routes between the mountains and the plains has made Kalar a natural centre for the whole Garmian region.
Sherwana Castle and the Jaff
Kalar’s most famous landmark is Sherwana Castle, a stately fortress built in the nineteenth century by the ruling family of the Jaff — one of the largest and most powerful Kurdish tribes, whose princes long dominated this region. Restored in recent years, the castle stands as a reminder of the tribal aristocracy that once governed Garmian, and as the symbol of the city. Around it, Kalar remains a stronghold of Jaff identity and history.
The Garmian Region
Kalar is the capital of Garmian, a distinct region of foothills and plains in the south of Iraqi Kurdistan, watered by the Sirwan and its tributaries. It is a land of farming and, increasingly, of oil and gas, with a character of its own: hotter, flatter, and more open than the mountain heartlands, yet thoroughly Kurdish in its people and traditions. Garmian has its own administration within the Kurdistan Region, with Kalar as its hub.
Anfal and After
Garmian carries a heavy history. During the Anfal genocide of 1988, the region was one of the worst-hit areas: countless villages were destroyed, and tens of thousands of people were killed or disappeared, in the same campaign that brought the chemical attack on Halabja. Mass graves of Garmian’s dead were later found far to the south. The scars of Anfal run deep here, and the rebuilding of the region’s shattered communities has been a central part of Kalar’s recent story.
Kalar Today
Today Kalar is one of the fastest-growing cities in Iraqi Kurdistan, a busy centre for the Garmian region with a young population and an expanding economy. Watched over by its restored castle and shaped by the memory of Anfal, it has grown from a tribal seat into a modern Kurdish city — the beating heart of the warm Garmian land.
Timeline
19th century — The Jaff princes build Sherwana Castle at Kalar.
early 20th c. — Kalar grows as the main town of the Garmian region.
1988 — The Anfal genocide devastates Garmian’s villages and people.
1991 onward — Garmian is rebuilt under Kurdish self-rule, with Kalar as its centre.
today — Kalar is one of the fastest-growing cities in Iraqi Kurdistan.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Kalar’s Kurdish name?
In Kurdish the city is called Kelar.
What is Sherwana Castle?
Sherwana Castle is a nineteenth-century fortress in Kalar built by the ruling family of the Jaff tribe; restored in recent years, it is the city’s main landmark.
What is the Garmian region?
Garmian, meaning “the warm land,” is a lowland region of foothills and plains in southern Iraqi Kurdistan, with Kalar as its main city; it was heavily devastated during the 1988 Anfal genocide.
Where is Kalar?
Kalar (Kelar) is a Kurdish city in the south of Sulaymaniyah Governorate in Iraqi Kurdistan, on the Sirwan river in the Garmian region.
Related People, Places, and Topics
The Jaff tribe · Sherwana Castle · the Garmian region · the Anfal genocide · Sulaymaniyah · Khanaqin.
References and Further Reading
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