Kurdistan: Gali Ali Beg still flowing

Shafaq News – Erbil

Authorities in the Kurdistan Region have dismissed reports that the famed Gali Ali Beg waterfall has dried up, describing them as a deliberate attempt to undermine the Region’s tourism sector.

Faisal Sadiq, Head of the Tourism Directorate in Soran, told Shafaq News that the waterfall remains fully active, dismissing the photos showing a temporary halt in water flow as part of an effort to “tarnish Kurdistan’s tourism reputation,” particularly in the Soran Administration.

According to Sadiq, the scenes reflecting a lack of water were the result of a temporary and coordinated decision to divert water toward surrounding agricultural areas. The source of the waterfall, he explained, lies in Khalifan and the valleys of Balkhan and Alan, where water was briefly rerouted to serve irrigation needs.

“Maintaining steady water flow at Gali Ali Beg,” he added, “remains well within the Region’s capabilities, given the site’s historical and touristic importance.”