ERBIL, IRAQ // There’s a strange combination of sounds coming from the top of the idyllic Korek mountain near Erbil in northern Iraq — the sound of exploding pellets accompanied by raucous laughter. Unlike those used in the army offensive in nearby Mosul, these pellets are fired from a friendly paintball gun in a swanky ski resort only a relatively short drive away. The resort, which first opened in 2013, boasts glistening ski slopes, several restaurants and amusement park-style attractions, and quickly became popular with Iraqis and Kurds seeking respite in the snowy landscape. But when ISIL captured large swathes of Iraq in 2014, business at the resort came to a standstill. The self-declared caliphate has since lost much of its territory, thanks to a US-backed operation that has driven the militants out of major cities including Fallujah, Ramadi and Tikrit. Many of those who visit the resort are from central and southern Iraq, areas where it does not usually snow. Some also visit from nearby Turkey and Iran. Buraq Mahmady, who fled the Anbar region when ISIL took over, said this was a much-needed break for him and his family, “This is new to us, we’ve never seen snow like this, or entertainment spots like this. We wanted to visit this and experience something new. We took time off work in order to be able to come here,” he said. Three bombs killed 29 people in Baghdad on Saturday (December 31) as fighting intensified in Mosul, where Iraqi government forces are trying to oust ISIL militants from their last major stronghold in the country. Officials at the resort hope that a total defeat of ISIL in Iraq will provide an even bigger boost to tourism, which is the third largest industry for the Kurdistan region after oil and farming. * Reuters
