| Coordinates | 34°43′30″N 44°35′15″E |
|---|---|
| Country | Iraq |
| Governorate | Saladin Governorate |
| District | Tooz District |
| Population total | 15,000-20,000 |
| Population as of | 2014 |
Amirli Arabic: آمرلي; Turkish: Amirli) also spelt Amerli, is a predominantly Shia Turkmen settlement in the Saladin Governorate, Iraq, approximately 100 km from the Iranian border.[1] It is the centre of a farming region.[2]
The town sits in a multi-ethnic region, with the town itself being mainly Shia Turkmen, and surrounded by Arab and Turkmen villages.[3][4]
History
2007 bombing
On June 7, 2007, a bombing in the marketplace of Amirli, killed 165 people and injured 350.[2][5]
2014 siege by ISIS
The town, and its nearly 20,000 Shia Turkmen,[6][7] was besieged by the ISIL starting in June 2014.[8] It was running out of food, water, and supplies. A U.N. representative stated, "The situation of the people in Amerli is desperate and demands immediate action to prevent the possible massacre of its citizens."[9] On August 31, the Popular Mobilization Forces, Iran, and local Turkmen tribes, managed to break the siege and entered the city, much to the rejoicing of its citizens.[10]
Climate
Amirli has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSh). Most rain falls in the winter. The average annual temperature in Amirli is 21.3 °C (70.3 °F). About 301 mm (11.85 in) of precipitation falls annually.
References
- ^ "Joint Effort to Break Jihadist Siege of Iraqi Turkmen Town"
- ^ Barzanji, Yahya (7 July 2007). "Suicide bomb kills over 100 in Iraq". Washington Post. The Associated Press.
- ^ Institute (GPPi), Global Public Policy. "Iraq after ISIL: Tuz". gppi.net. Retrieved 2026-03-08.
- ^ "Reviving UN Mediation on Iraq’s Disputed Internal Boundaries | International Crisis Group". www.crisisgroup.org. 2018-12-14. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
The Amerli sub-district is largely Shiite Turkmen in the town but the area’s villages are predominantly Sunni Arab.
- ^ "Iraq market truck bomb kills 105". BBC News. BBC. 7 July 2007.
- ^ "Iraq minority appeals to army, international community for help". CBC news. The Associated Press. 20 August 2014.
- ^ "Iraqi forces 'reach besieged Amerli'". BBC News. BBC. 31 August 2014.
- ^ al-Bayati, Ali (22 August 2014). "Amerli – the town holding out against the Islamic State and starvation". EA WorldView. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
- ^ "Iraq conflict: UN warns of possible Amerli 'massacre'". BBC News. BBC. 23 August 2014.
- ^ Nafiseh Kohnavard (2021-04-07). UNDER THE SHADOW OF IRAN, NAFISEH KOHNAVARD. Retrieved 2024-09-09. – via YouTube.