AKRA, Iraq (AP) —

Thousands of Kurds celebrate the new year festival of Nowruz in the hub city of Akra in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region. They wear traditional Kurdish clothes, climb a mountain holding torches, launch fireworks and play music.

This year’s celebration takes place against the backdrop of the regional war launched against Iran by the U.S. and Israel. The Kurdish region has faced near-daily attacks from Iran-backed militias targeting U.S. assets and Iranian Kurdish groups.

Kurdish people celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, with lit torches on a hill overlooking the town of Akra in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Kurdish people celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, with lit torches on a hill overlooking the town of Akra in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Kurdish people celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, with lit torches on a hill overlooking the town of Akra in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

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Kurdish people take part in Nowruz celebrations, marking the Persian New Year, in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, in the town of Akra, Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Kurdish people take part in Nowruz celebrations, marking the Persian New Year, in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, in the town of Akra, Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Kurdish people take part in Nowruz celebrations, marking the Persian New Year, in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, in the town of Akra, Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

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A Kurdish woman in traditional dress holds a lit torch during Nowruz, the Persian New Year, on a hill overlooking the town of Akra in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

A Kurdish woman in traditional dress holds a lit torch during Nowruz, the Persian New Year, on a hill overlooking the town of Akra in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

A Kurdish woman in traditional dress holds a lit torch during Nowruz, the Persian New Year, on a hill overlooking the town of Akra in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

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Kurdish people hold lit torches during Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the town of Akra in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Kurdish people hold lit torches during Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the town of Akra in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Kurdish people hold lit torches during Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the town of Akra in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

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A woman holds a Kurdish flag during celebrations of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the town of Akra in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026.(AP Photo/Leo Correa)

A woman holds a Kurdish flag during celebrations of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the town of Akra in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026.(AP Photo/Leo Correa)

A woman holds a Kurdish flag during celebrations of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the town of Akra in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026.(AP Photo/Leo Correa)

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A man prays on a hillside before celebrations of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the town of Akra in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026.(AP Photo/Leo Correa)

A man prays on a hillside before celebrations of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the town of Akra in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026.(AP Photo/Leo Correa)

A man prays on a hillside before celebrations of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the town of Akra in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026.(AP Photo/Leo Correa)

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Kurdish people walk up a hill overlooking the town with lit torches during Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in Akra in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Kurdish people walk up a hill overlooking the town with lit torches during Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in Akra in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Kurdish people walk up a hill overlooking the town with lit torches during Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in Akra in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

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Kurdish people take part in Nowruz celebrations, marking the Persian New Year, in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, in the town of Akra, Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Kurdish people take part in Nowruz celebrations, marking the Persian New Year, in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, in the town of Akra, Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Kurdish people take part in Nowruz celebrations, marking the Persian New Year, in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, in the town of Akra, Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

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A Kurdish man rides a horse up a hill carrying a lit torch during Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the town of Akra in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

A Kurdish man rides a horse up a hill carrying a lit torch during Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the town of Akra in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

A Kurdish man rides a horse up a hill carrying a lit torch during Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the town of Akra in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

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Kurdish people walk up a hill carrying lit torches during Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the town of Akra in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Kurdish people walk up a hill carrying lit torches during Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the town of Akra in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Kurdish people walk up a hill carrying lit torches during Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the town of Akra in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

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Kurdish people hold lit torches as they walk up a hill during Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the town of Akra in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Kurdish people hold lit torches as they walk up a hill during Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the town of Akra in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Kurdish people hold lit torches as they walk up a hill during Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the town of Akra in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

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Men prepare torches for Nowruz celebrations, marking the Persian New Year, in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, in the town of Akra, Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Men prepare torches for Nowruz celebrations, marking the Persian New Year, in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, in the town of Akra, Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Men prepare torches for Nowruz celebrations, marking the Persian New Year, in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, in the town of Akra, Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

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A Kurdish woman in traditional dress holds a lit torch during Nowruz, the Persian New Year, on a hill overlooking the town of Akra in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

A Kurdish woman in traditional dress holds a lit torch during Nowruz, the Persian New Year, on a hill overlooking the town of Akra in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

A Kurdish woman in traditional dress holds a lit torch during Nowruz, the Persian New Year, on a hill overlooking the town of Akra in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

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This year’s festivities are more muted than in previous years, but those who have braved rainy weather and the war to come to Akra for the festival say it is important to mark the occasion.

The celebration’s main event involves thousands of people in a procession up the mountain carrying torches, symbolizing freedom and the arrival of spring.

This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.