Zakho: Iraqi Kurdistan’s Gateway to Turkey
- Rezan Babakir
- 3 hours ago
- 5 min read
Introduction
Zakho (Kurdish: Zaxo) is a city in the far north-west of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, set on the Little Khabur river just a few kilometres from the Turkish border. It is the main gateway between Iraqi Kurdistan and Turkey, a busy trade and border city famous for its ancient stone bridge, the Pira Delal. Long a meeting point of Kurds, Jews and Christians, Zakho today is a fast-growing commercial hub in Duhok Governorate.
This is the latest entry in our geographic series profiling the cities and towns of the region — where they are, who controls them, who lives in them, and why they matter to the Kurdish story.
Quick Facts
Common Name: Zakho (Zaxo)
Kurdish Name: Zaxo
Country: Iraq — Kurdistan Region, Duhok Governorate
Population: Roughly 260,000–350,000 in the city and district
People: Overwhelmingly Kurdish; historic Jewish and Assyrian Christian roots
Setting: On the Little Khabur river, a few km from the Turkish border
Status: Within the KRG; KDP-aligned
Known For: The Delal Bridge and the Ibrahim Khalil border crossing
Contents
Location and Geography
Zakho lies in the far north-west of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, in Duhok Governorate, about 50 kilometres north of the city of Duhok and only a few kilometres from the border with Turkey. The Little Khabur river runs through the city before flowing west to form part of the Iraq–Turkey border and then joining the Tigris. The original settlement is said to have grown on a small island in the river. Set among low mountains at around 440 metres, Zakho sits at a strategic three-way frontier near the meeting point of Iraq, Turkey and Syria, which has shaped its role as a trading town for centuries.
People and Population
Estimates of Zakho’s population range from around 260,000 to 350,000 in the city and surrounding district, having grown enormously from perhaps 30,000 in 1950 as Kurds settled there from across Iraq. The population is overwhelmingly Kurdish today, but Zakho was historically one of the most important centres of Kurdish-speaking Jews — sometimes called the “Jerusalem of Kurdistan” — until that community emigrated to Israel in the mid-twentieth century, and it has long had an Assyrian Christian presence too. Its border-economy draw continues to attract workers from elsewhere in Iraq and beyond.
History
Zakho is an old town with roots reaching back to antiquity; travellers and scholars have linked it to ancient settlements in the region, and its bridge and castle point to a long strategic past. In the era of the Kurdish emirates it fell within the orbit of the Bahdinan principality based at Amedi, and the Zakho castle served as a governor’s seat. Under the Ottomans it was administered as part of the Mosul region, and through the twentieth century it shared in the wider history of Iraqi Kurdistan — including waves of displacement that swelled its population. Since the 1990s it has been governed within the Kurdistan Region.
The Delal Bridge
Zakho’s most famous landmark is the Pira Delal — the “beautiful bridge” — an ancient arched stone bridge spanning the Khabur in the heart of the city. Built of carved golden limestone, about 115 metres long and rising some 16 metres above the water, it is thought to have Roman origins with later Abbasid-era rebuilding. The bridge is wrapped in local legend, including the story of a heroine named Delal, and Kurds from across the region visit it as a symbol of beauty, heritage and peace. It is the emblem of the city, which is sometimes called “Delal’s Zakho.”
Zakho Today
Today Zakho is a thriving commercial and border city, administered within the Kurdistan Regional Government and aligned with the KDP that dominates Duhok Governorate. Its economy is built on cross-border trade: the nearby Ibrahim Khalil crossing is the main gateway between the Kurdistan Region and Turkey, with huge volumes of trucks and goods passing through, making the border one of the KRI’s most important economic arteries. The University of Zakho, established in 2010, is among the region’s public universities, and the city remains known for its lively Newroz celebrations each spring.
Timeline of Key Events
Antiquity — A settlement grows by the Khabur; the Delal Bridge has Roman-era origins.
Emirate era — Zakho lies within the Bahdinan principality; its castle is a governor’s seat.
1864 onward — Administered as part of the Mosul region under the Ottomans and after.
Mid-20th c. — The historic Kurdish-Jewish community emigrates to Israel.
1950–92 — Population surges as Kurds settle from across Iraq.
1990s — Zakho comes under Kurdistan Regional Government control.
2010 — The University of Zakho is founded.
Debates and Controversies
As a border city, Zakho sits close to several tensions. The mountainous frontier north and east of the city has seen repeated Turkish military operations against the PKK, with airstrikes and bases on Kurdish soil that some see as a violation of sovereignty and others tie to the wider Turkey–PKK conflict; civilians and a 2022 deadly shelling incident near the area drew international attention. Like the rest of Duhok, Zakho is firmly within the KDP’s sphere, part of the broader KDP–PUK division that shapes Iraqi Kurdistan. There are also memories of loss — above all the departure of the city’s ancient Jewish community — and debates about how to preserve Zakho’s heritage amid rapid commercial growth. This profile lays out these competing perspectives rather than resolving them.
Significance for the Kurds
For Kurds, Zakho is both a gateway and a symbol. It is the great northern doorway between Iraqi Kurdistan and the wider world through Turkey, a city whose prosperity reflects the Kurdistan Region’s trade and ambition. At the same time, the Pira Delal and the memory of its old Kurdish-Jewish and Christian communities make Zakho a place of deep heritage and coexistence. Its mix of frontier energy and ancient stone gives it a special place in the modern Kurdish story.
Related Places and Topics
Amedi, the historic seat of the Bahdinan emirate that once governed Zakho.
The Emirate of Bahdinan, the Kurdish principality of this region. Duhok, the Ibrahim Khalil border crossing, and the wider Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Zakho?
Zakho is in the far north-west of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, in Duhok Governorate, on the Little Khabur river only a few kilometres from the Turkish border.
What is Zakho famous for?
Zakho is famous for the Pira Delal, an ancient arched stone bridge over the Khabur, and for the nearby Ibrahim Khalil crossing, the main border gateway between Iraqi Kurdistan and Turkey.
Who lives in Zakho?
Zakho is overwhelmingly Kurdish today. It was historically a major centre of Kurdish-speaking Jews — sometimes called the ‘Jerusalem of Kurdistan’ — and has long had an Assyrian Christian presence.
Who controls Zakho?
Zakho is governed within the Kurdistan Regional Government and lies in KDP-dominated Duhok Governorate, near a border zone affected by Turkey’s operations against the PKK.
References and Further Reading
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