Jasana Cave

Useful Information

Location:	Gechina, Sulaymaniyah Governorate. Highway 18 Dukan-Sulaymaniya road, at کانی خان (Kani Khan) a single lane road branches off and leads in serpentines to the cave. (35.8839450, 45.0533455)
Open:	no restrictions. [2024]
Fee:	free. [2024]
Classification:	Karst Cave
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:	L=40 m, W=9 m, H=7 m.
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Jasana Cave, Gechina, Sulaymaniyah Governorate, Iraq
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

03-FEB-1923	British forces the King of Kurdistan Sheikh Mahmoud to surrender and make a treaty with the British.
28-MAR-1923	first issue of the Kurdish newspaper named Bangi Haq printed in the cave.

Description

The ئەشکەوتی جاسەنە (Jasana Cave) is considered a historic site by the locals, and has become a sort of tourist cave. The cave is small and has a huge triangular portal followed by a chamber of the same dimension, then by a second chamber which is much smaller. The entrance chamber has low stone walls in front of the cave walls on both sides, which seem to be for sitting around a fire in the center. It is not really developed, but there is a paved single lane road to the cave, a small parking lot, and a trail to the cave entrance. Due to this development it is considered a tourist site. The cave is small and level, and though no lamp is required, we recommend to bring a lamp.

The cave is located in the Surdash region, off Sulaimani-Dukan road, behind Kani Khan village. It is located in a narrow valley of the Nabi Agha and Sara mountains. The cave became quite famous in 1923. On February 3, 1923, British forces told the King of Kurdistan Sheikh Mahmoud to surrender and make a treaty with the British. They threatened to bombard Suleimani. But Sheikh Mahmoud did not surrender, he relocated the population to this remote spot for safety. He also set up a printing press, and published the first Kurdish newspaper named Bangi Haq (Call for Truth, Call for Justice) from the cave, the first issue was printed on March 28, 1923. The editor-in-chief of this newspaper was Ahmad Khwaja. This was the first official organ of the Kurdish Liberation Movement. There was a village where about 300 families lived in the second half of the 20th century, but it was destroyed by the Ba'ath government. So the cave is actually a famous reminder of this rather recent history.

The cave is visited by school pupils and domestic tourists. It is also used by mountaineers as a sleeping place. The visit is quite easy, and the cave has a nice view. We recommend to bring a lamp, although the cave has a huge portal and thus there is sufficient light inside.