Amna Suraka (Red Security Museum)
As Sulaymānīyah
Amna Suraka, also known as the Red Security Museum, is located in Sulaymaniyah in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Originally the northern headquarters of the Iraqi Interior Ministry's intelligence agency during Saddam Hussein's rule, the site was used as a prison where many Kurdish nationalists, students, and dissidents were tortured and killed. The building still bears bullet marks from the 1991 Battle of Sulaymaniyah, when Peshmerga forces captured it after a fierce assault. Since 2003, it has functioned as a museum dedicated to documenting human rights abuses under Saddam's regime and commemorating the Kurdish victims of the Anfal genocide campaign. Exhibits include reconstructed prison cells, mannequins depicting torture methods such as electric shocks and falanga, and a striking hall of broken mirrors symbolizing the shattered Kurdish villages and lives. The museum also honors Peshmerga fighters killed by ISIS, serving both as a memorial and a statement of Kurdish national identity. It is one of the major cultural and historical attractions in Sulaymaniyah, offering visitors a sobering insight into the region's tragic past.
Planifica tu viaje a Irak con IA
Crea un itinerario detallado en minutos. La IA sugiere los mejores lugares, restaurantes y una ruta optimizada.
Consejo: The museum is open six days a week and admission is free. Visitors are advised to allocate sufficient time to fully engage with the exhibits, which are emotionally intense. Early visits in the day can provide a quieter experience. While tickets are not required, guided tours may enhance understanding of the complex history presented. Respectful behavior is expected due to the sensitive nature of the site.
Datos interesantes
- •The building still bears bullet holes from the 1991 Battle of Sulaymaniyah.
- •The hall of broken mirrors contains 182,000 shards representing Kurds killed during the Anfal campaign.
- •4,500 backlights in the museum symbolize the Kurdish villages destroyed during the Anfal genocide.
- •The museum includes exhibits depicting torture methods such as electric shocks and falanga.
- •It is considered the largest tourist attraction in Sulaymaniyah and has been called 'the world's most depressing museum' by a Vice News reporter.
Historia
Amna Suraka served as the northern headquarters of Iraq's Directorate of General Security from 1979 to 1991 under Saddam Hussein's regime.
It was a notorious prison where many Kurdish dissidents were detained and tortured.
In 1991, during the Battle of Sulaymaniyah, Peshmerga forces captured the building after a two-hour assault, ending its use as a security headquarters.
In 2003, the site was converted into a museum to document the human rights violations committed there and to memorialize Kurdish victims of the Anfal genocide campaign and other atrocities.
Guía del lugar
Reconstructed Prison Cells1979-1991
These cells recreate the conditions prisoners endured, illustrating the cramped and harsh environment where detainees were held and tortured.
Hall of Broken MirrorsPost-2003
A symbolic installation featuring 182,000 shards of broken mirrors representing the Kurdish lives lost during the Anfal genocide, illuminated by 4,500 backlights symbolizing destroyed villages.
Torture ExhibitsPost-2003
Mannequins and displays demonstrate the brutal torture techniques used, including electric shocks, hanging, falanga (beating of the soles of feet), and sexual violence.
Exhibition on Anfal GenocidePost-2003
Photographs of exhumed bodies and lists of prominent Kurdish victims who were killed or disappeared during the Anfal campaign.
Peshmerga Fighters MemorialPost-2003
An exhibit honoring Kurdish fighters killed by ISIS, connecting recent conflicts with the historical struggle for Kurdish rights.
Contacto
Teléfono: 053 320 5373