thrust fault tectonics in the duhok region (high folded zone, n iraq)

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International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET)

Volume 6, Issue 10, Oct 2015, pp. 132-146, Article ID: IJCIET_06_10_012

Available online at

http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=6&IType=10

ISSN Print: 0976-6308 and ISSN Online: 0976-6316

© IAEME Publication

THRUST FAULT TECTONICS IN THE

DUHOK REGION (HIGH FOLDED ZONE, N

IRAQ)

Mustafa R. S. Al-Obaidi

Department of Geology, College of Science, University of Baghdad, Iraq

Ahmed A. H. Al-Moadhen

Department of Geology, College of Science, University of Baghdad, Iraq

ABSTRACT:

The Alpine thrust and associated fold structures of the Duhok region (High

Folded Zone, N Iraq) are interpreted in terms of thin skinned tectonics, with

dominate northward and southward transport direction. A 5 Km thick

sequence of Mesozoic-Tertiary rocks was deformed by continuous squeezing

between Arabian plate and Iranian-Anatolian plates, the thrust planes on the

layer boundaries developed. These thrust system includes an imbricate fan

and a duplex. The thrust surfaces have an irregular map outcrop pattern due

to the existence of a set of folds. A strike -normal balanced cross section

illustrates the geometry of the thrusts and their related folds. The minimum

value of accumulated transport is about 23.17 Km. Folding are related to

frontal hanging–wall ramps.

Key words: Structural geology, Thrust Systems, High Folded Zone, Iraq.

Cite this Article: Mustafa R. S. Al-Obaidi and Ahmed A. H. Al-Moadhen.

Thrust Fault Tectonics In The Duhok Region (High Folded Zone, N Iraq).

International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology, 6(10), 2015, pp.

132-146.

http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=6&IType=10

1. INTRODUCTION

The external zone of Alpine orogenic belt in the north and northeast of the Arabian

Peninsula, named the High Folded Zone, constitutes an arcuate foreland thrust and

fold belt. The study area covers about 4500 square kilometers within in the Iraqi

Kurdistan Region. The area is located within the Duhok governments (Figure 1). In

the Duhok Region a great number of thrusts are known to affect and to cause the

repetition of some parts of the sequence. Most previous workers have relied on

surface observations collected during geological mapping or stratgraphical

investigation although more recently subsurface drilling and seismic methods have

increased the knowledge of the subsurface structures. In addition, in order to provide

Thrust Fault Tectonics In The Duhok Region (High Folded Zone, N Iraq)


the necessary control for interpretation of the collected data, a review of available

information was undertaking relating to the geology of Kurdistan and previous

geological investigations in the area.

The studied area include eleven folds, these folds are: Ber Bahr, Geri Baran,

Shaikh Adi, Central Duhok, Duhok, Shaikhan, Atrush, Swara Tika, West Duhok,

Tawke and Gara Anticlines. Forty two major thrust faults are present in the study area

and are possible for considerable deformation at the area. These thrusts, which extend

several meters to more than 10 km along the regional strike, are evident from surface

of crops and from field data. It appears from the map that an orientation is in two

groups. One group is E-W and the other group is NW-SE. Mostly are dipping to the

south and to the north and some other to NE and SW.

Figure 1 Base map of Northern Iraq denoting geographical location of the study area

(red polygon) showing the distribution of the folds and cross sections in the Duhok

Region.

Many studies have been suggested to understand the tectonic evolution of this part

of the world. The most accepted one at present is the "constructional thrust fault

hypothesis" which explains in High Folded Zone as a result of thrust movement,

where the Arabian plate in the south move northward relative to Iranian and Anatolian

plates in the east and north. The area has been studied by several authors (Al-Alawi,

1980, Al Naqib, 1980 and prepared a detailed geological map scale (1: 20000) and

AL–Abd Allah, 2009).

This paper is based on the reinterpretation of the published maps of Sissakian,

(1995) and new data obtained by the authors. The structural interpretation of Duhok

region described in this paper is based mainly on geometrical analysis using balanced

cross sections (Dahlstrom, 1970). The aim of this work is to present an interpretation

of thrust geometry of the Duhok region and to produce a balanced cross section and a

preliminary kinematic interpretation. Four transverse cross -sections, show the thrust

geometry as well as the genetic relationships between folds and thrusts.

Mustafa R. S. Al-Obaidi and Ahmed A. H. Al-Moadhen


2. GEOLOGIC SETTING

The thrust system in the Duhok region presents a very irregular map pattern because

the thrusts have been affected by a later set of folds. The thrust system produced

determination in a sequence of Mesozoic and Tertiary rocks. The stratigraphy of study

area (Figure 2) is characteristic for the whole of Iraq’s High Folded Zone. The

sedimentary succession (about 27 formations) is possibly more than 5 km thick and

quite probably begins with a ductile Upper Precambrian series. The study area is

topped by a several thousand meter thick Paleozoic–Lower Mesozoic succession, of

which the shallow-water carbonates of the Permian Chia Zairi and Triassic Kurra

chine formations form thicker, more rigid units (van Bellen et al., 1959/2005; Jassim

and Goff, 2006).

Figure 2 Geologic map showing the distribution of folds and thrusts in study area

(modify after Sissakian, 1995).

The Jurassic succession begins with a several hundred meters thick neritic

carbonate, also generally rigid. In the Middle Jurassic this dolomitic platform passes

laterally to evaporites (Alan and Adaiyah formations). In the upper Middle Jurassic

and Upper Jurassic there is a widespread, yet thin basinal facies, divided into the

Sargelu and Naokelekan formations, which is believed to be one of the source rocks

of the area. In regions exposed to compression these two formations might be

effective décollements. In the Upper Jurassic the Sargelu and Naokelekan formations

are overlain either by neritic dolomites (Barsarin Formation) or evaporates (Gotnia

Formation) in this region (Csontos et al., 2012).



In the Early Cretaceous the basinal sedimentary Chia Gara shale and marl was

deposited. Locally this unit can also be a décollement. It passes upwards into the

Sarmord/Balambo marl and then the Qamchuka neritic carbonate. Above a minor

unconformity in the middle Cretaceous, an Upper Cretaceous platform carbonate

represented by the Bekhme and Aqra carbonate was deposited. This platform passes

laterally and upwards into basinal sediments (Shiranish and Tanjero marl). The upper

part of the deep-marine marl may also be Paleocene in age (Kholosh Formation;

Sarbazheri et al., 2009). The Cretaceous neritic carbonates (Qamchuka, Bekhme-Aqra

formations) form a 600 m thick rigid and weathering resistant structural level that can

be used to determine the wavelength of folds.

A more rigid carbonate unit (Palaeogene Khurmala-Sinjar Formation) is overlain

by very characteristic, brick-red Eocene clays forming a detachment horizon (Gercus

Formation) and by a thin and chalkydolomitic Eocene carbonate (Pila Spi Formation).

This rigid unit forms very characteristic outcrop exposure patterns and is easily

recognised even on satellite photos (Csontos et al., 2012). The Neogene is

represented by (1) the sometimes evaporitic, variegated Middle Miocene Lower Fars

Formation; (2) the mostly sandy, fluvial Middle–Upper Miocene Upper Fars

Formation; and (3) the conglomeratic Upper Miocene Pliocene Bakhtiari Formation.

These Neogene formations have a cumulative thickness of more than 1,500 m (Jassim

and Goff, 2006).

Tectonically, the fold-thrust belt in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq is divided into

four NW-SE striking tectonic units (Jassim and Goff, 2006): the Zagros Suture, the

Imbricated Zones, the High Folded Zone (equivalent to the Simply Folded Belt in the

Iranian part of the Zagros) and the Foothill Zone. The study area is lying within High

Folded Zone (Berberian, 1995; Jassim and Goff, 2006; McQuarrie, 2004).

3. STRUCTURE

The most outstanding feature of the Duhok region is the existence of a set of thrusts

affected by longitudinal folds with variable geometrics and distribution. Many major

thrust sheets with imbricate fan system and duplex form the thrust system of this

region (Figure 3 &4). Other important structures in the area are: sets of superposed

folds: one with axial traces parallel to the map outcrops of the thrust surfaces

(longitudinal system), and another set with axial traces not parallel to the map outcrop

of the thrust surface. Between them, there are broad flat bottom synclines.

Figure 3 Photographic section showing the development of Pop-up structure and

Triangle zone in the Shiranish Formation on southern limb of Ber Baher anticline.



Figure 4 Several thrust fault planes in the Pila Spi Formation - northern limb of Gara

anticline, which are dipping to the north and which separates four thrust sheets.

4. SECTION PARALLEL TO THE TRANSPORT DIRECTION OF

THE FOLD- THRUST BELT

An approximately N-S or NNE-SSW cross sections through the Duhok region are

shown in Figure (1). These have been constructed perpendicular to the axial direction

transport direction of the belt. The structure of these sections consists of a system of

thrusts branching from a sole thrust located near the base of Chia Zairi Formation

(Satina member-Permian). This sole thrust generally has a constant dip forwards the

NE. A prominent of these sections is the gradual increase in the number of thrusts

towards the internal part of the system where a duplex is present. Two different types

of thrusts can be distinguished, the first one with dominate SW ward transport

direction and the second one with a dominant NE ward transport direction.

The first group includes thrusts surfaces that branch from the sole thrusts which is

parallel to the bedding. Most of the thrusts in these sections are of this type. Footwall

and hanging wall ramps and flats can be observed as well as the folds related to the

hanging wall ramps. In this Figure it is also possible to see a thrust that represents a

decollement surface. The second group of thrusts is those that form the duplex. These

also branch from the sole thrust, but converge upwards into a roof thrust that is the

decollement of the Taurus – Zagros belt. The third type comprises a thrust that started

from a floor fault and propagated upwards cutting the base of previously emplaced

thrust slices. This fault reactivated the floor thrust of duplex and was responsible for

the uplifting of the duplex. Related to its emplacement an antiformal culmination was

formed and produced the back relation of the thrusts located behind it (Figure 5).

Figure 5 Photographic section showing the position of duplex thrust plane system in

hinge of the Ber Baher anticline.



These cross sections show several folds developed within the thrust sheets. The

folds are related to hangingwall frontal ramps (fault bend folds, Suppe 1983, leading

edge folds, Boyer 1986). They are often anticlines, and are usually located at the

frontal part of the sheets. The process of formation of these folds can be interpreted to

be directly caused by the thrusts emplacement. Some of these thrust faults are listed

below:

A. Ber Bahr Thrust Fault: This fault is subsurface thrust fault with dip that

decrease with depth and the length of fault is about 12 Km. The decollement surface

for the BB1 thrust fault is placed within the Permian- Triassic ages.

B. Sheikh Adi Thrust Faults: The Sheikh Adi anticline is a compressional

anticline, with significant over‐thrusting of the hanging wall in a southerly direction.

A bifurcation of the southerly thrust fault can be interpreted to the west of the Sheikh

Adi structure, which defines a separate prospect in the hanging‐wall limb, termed here

the Sheikh Adi Hanging Wall prospect.

C. Shaikhan Thrust Faults: Using a combination of seismic mapping,

extrapolation of structural dip, well formation dip and mapped surface structure, Gulf

Keystone Petroleum (2014) has constructed a depth structure map of the Shaikhan

anticline (Figure 6). In its simplest terms, the structure is a compressional, asymmetric

anticline, with a faulted northern limb and a subsidiary back fault developing to the

south. It maps as dip closed plunging eastwards, and appears to be separated from the

Sheikh Adi structure by a saddle structure.

Figure 6: A) North-to-south dip seismic section of shiakhan structure. B) North-to-

south dip seismic section of Shiakhan structure (Gulf Keystone Petroleum, 2010).

D. West Duhok Thrust Faults: West Duhok structure is a separate anticline

located to the north west of study area (Figure. DNO International has mapped the

West Duhok structure using 3D seismic data (DNO International, 2012). The structure

is a compressional anticline, with two major thrust faults in the north and south limbs.

E. Geri Baran Thrust Faults: The Geri Baran anticline is a compressional

anticline, with two major thrust faults in the north and south limbs.

F. Central Duhok Thrust Faults: The Central Duhok anticline is a compressional

anticline, with two major thrust faults in the north east and south west limbs.

G. Tawke Thrust Faults: Eight major thrust faults and several low displacement

faults were also interpreted in the area.

H. Duhok Thrust Faults: In the Duhok anticline, there are two major thrust faults .

I. Atrush Thrust Faults: The Atrush anticline is a complex faulted anticlinal

structure visible both at surface and in the seismic data. Upper Cretaceous, Aqra-

Bekhme carbonates are mostly mapped at surface however locally Qamchuqa



sediments may be exposed. The Atrush anticline developed along a possible shallow

thrust zone oriented east-west with Six major thrust fault.

J. Swara Tika Thrust Faults: The Swara Tika anticline is covered by a grid of 2D

seismic data, three seismic lines provide structural control (Figure 7) (Macquarie

Explorers Conference, 2013).

Figure 7 A north to south dip section of Atrush anticline (General Exploration

Partners, 2014).

5. METHODOLOGY

The tectonic transport direction at Duhok area is deduces from Bow and arrow Rule

(Elliott and Johnson 1980). In this method a straight line is drown connecting the two

ends (tip points) of the outcrop trace of a single thrust. The perpendicular bisector of

this line give an estimate of the slip direction and the length of the line is an estimate

of the displacement (Figure 8) and table (1). The initial regional section should be

constructed near areas of maximum thrust displacement using the "Bow and Arrow"

rule of Elliott (1976).

Table 1 Displacement estimates of the main thrusts by Bow and Arrow rule of the Duhok

Region.

Direction Accumulated

Displacement

Displacement

(Km) Location

N5E 2.2 2.2 Duhok anticline

S40W 4.99 2.79 Ber Baher and Shiak Adi anticlines

S3W 7.47 2.48 Shaikhan

N5E 10.33 2.86 Atrush anticline 1

N5E 12.41 2.08 Atrush anticline 2

S10W 14.26 1.85 Gara anticline 1

N5E 16.72 2.46 Gara anticline 2

N40E 20.32 3.6 Central Duhok anticline

N 22.14 1.82 Tawke anticline

N10S 23.17 1.03 West Duhok anticline



According to above table, the displacement on each thrust surface in the study

area is ranges between (1-3 Km).

The other most important method which was used in this study was the technique

of constructing balanced cross sections. A "balance" is said to exist in a cross-section

when bed length, or a cross-sectional areas, are equal in both the deformed and

undeformed states (Elliott 1981). An estimation of the orogenic contraction across

High Folded Zone (study area) can be obtained from a comparison between

simultaneously constructed deformed and restored cross-sections whereby the

difference between the restored section length give the amount of shortening (Elliote

and Johnson, 1980 and Salih, 1990). These cross sections are drawn for planes

parallel to the shortening direction.

After determining the approximate Transport Direction specific locations for the

cross section were selected. Lines of section have been chosen which are parallel to

the thrust transport direction and run from the south margin of the study area to the

north of it. The restored cross section is drown with key beds (e,g, Chia Gara, Kurra

Chine formations). The sections were graphically restored to their underformed state

using the constant bed length technique. Percentage shortening of a given bed was

calculated from this equation.

------------------------ Eq.1

Where Lo = the initial length of the bed before the deformation and L= the final

length of the bed after deformation.

In Figure 9B, 10B, 11B and 12 B a complete restoration of parts of sections 9A,

10A, 11A and 12A can be seen. In these sections imbricate fanes have been restored,

showing by means of line the position of thrust surface. Some of these thrusts

associated with it have a different transport direction. In these structures, four thrust

sheets outcrop in its northern part, whilst in its southern part at least two more thrusts.

Figure 8 The Bow and Arrow rule as applied to determine transport direction in the study

area.



The thrust fault have two different types of map patterns, either linear or slightly

curved changing from an E-W direction in the internal part to NW-SE in the external

zone. During this process piggy- back thrusts were also generated.

6. THE KINEMATICS OF EMPLACEMENT OF THRUST

SHEETS

According to the assumption that the length of the beds in the cross sections remain

constant during the formation, the total of the tectonic shortening in the study area is a

combined result of thrusting and folding. As discussed in the above sections and

"Bow and Arrow" method, the transport direction in this area is mostly in a N-S,

NNE-SSW directions. From the map and from the cross – sections described in this

paper, preliminary conclusion may be made on the kinematics of emplacement of the

Duhok thrust sheets. It has been assumed that the emplacement occurred from north to

south for the first thrust system. The displacement of the different thrust sheets and

thrust systems have been calculated (Table 1). The total accumulated displacement for

these sections is of the order of 23.17 Km.

The duplex has been balanced separately using the length of the beds. The

shortening undergone by the restored set is about 27%. The emplacement of these

duplexes caused the bending of the thrust sheets located above it, the curvature the

topography of the duplex. The later fault caused the frontal part of the duplexes to be

uplifted as a Pop-Up structure and the back rotation of the rear thrusts. Based on the

structural contour maps, N-S and NNE-SSW cross sections and the method for

estimating shortening, the estimated initial length of the Chia Gara formation as

example in section(C-C') is equal to about (12.9) Km and the final length which

equals about (9.8) Km. For the same bed, the shortening percentage for the area is

about 24 % (Table 2). As illustrated in (Figure 9, 10, 11 and 12) and (Table 2) shows

the calculated shortening percentage for different cross sections in the studied area.

These results reflect that the study area is affected by inhomogeneous deformation.

Figure 9 Above present and completely restored section of beds in the study area

between Shaikhan and Swara Tika anticlines

A

B




.between Duhok and Gara anticlines

A

B


between Duhok and Shaik adi anticlines

A

B



Table 2 Shortening estimates by Balanced Cross Section Method along the four cross

sections in the study area.

Section Formation Original length

(Km)

Final length

(Km)

Shortening

(Km)

Shortening

%

Shortening

(Mean) %

A-A'

Butmah 24.2 22.88 1.32 5 5

Qamchuqa 24 22.88 1.12 5

B-B'

Barsaren 36.36 31.66 4.7 13 17

Baluti 40.42 31.66 8.76 21

C-C'

Chia Gara 12.9 9.8 3,1 24 25.5

Kurra Chine 13.4 9.8 3.6 27

D-D'

Shiranish 9.5 8.03 1.47 15 10

Kurra Chine 8.6 8.03 0.57 6

The different shortening or deformations could be related to the ramp orientation

with transport direction or to the type and thickness of rock unites. Balanced cross-

sections were constructed across the Dohuk, Ber Baher, Gara, Shaik-Adi, Shaikhan,

Atrush, Swara Tika and West Duhok anticlines (Figure 9, 10, 11 and 12). The cross-

sections were balanced using the sinuous bed method (Dahlstrom, 1970).

Although the maps show detailed surface geology, important aspects of the Zagros

orogen are not known, such as the dip of the basement surface and the stratigraphic

level of the master de´collement (base of Cambrian section or within the basement).

The following discussion describes and provides the rationale for the interpretations

of the structures that are shown in the balanced cross-sections. The interpretations are

based on map patterns, strike and dip data, changes in stratigraphic thicknesses across

strike, select borehole data. The published seismic data provided knowing completely

the geometry of structures at depth, the depth to basement or how basement

topography may change through the orogeny (McQuarrie, 2003).

The Restoration of the balanced cross section provides the minimum estimate of

horizontal shortening. Along the transect A–A' through shaikan – Atrush - Swara

Tika anticlines section, the shortening magnitude is 5% (Table 2) and the shortening

magnitude along the transect B–B' across the Dohuk-Ber Baher- Gara anticlines

Figure 12 Above present and completely restored section of beds in the West

Duhok anticline

A

B



section is 13-21 % but the shortening magnitude along the transect C–C' across the

Duhok-Shaik Adi anticlines section is 24-27% where the shortening magnitude along

the transect D–D' across the West Duhok anticlines section is 6-15 %.

7. DISCUSSION

Many ideas have been offered by different workers to explain the folded structure

features in the thrust region. The complex geometric implications of the interrelations

between the fold and fault structures have been investigated in detail by Boyer and

Elliotte (1982) and Suppe (1983). The above results indicate that a sequence of easy

differential slip thrust had been produced as a nearly bed-parallel set of structures

along the incompetent beds. Continued differential movement (movement on the

upper beds is greater than in the lower beds) on the gentle limbs results in steeping,

overturning and break- through all the other limbs.

As a result of the squeezing of the sequence, accommodation structures

(Rotational and back thrust) have been formed. It could be the back thrust faults

formed in response to the flexural slip folding. Many new faults surface developed as

a result of this deformation. It appears from those observations and the observation

elsewhere by Salih and Al-Dahgstan y (1993) Serra (1977) that the mechanisms of

deformation and the resulting structural styles in this area can vary according to the

type of rocks involved in the faulting and the thickness of the individual rock types

with respect to the ramp angles and vertical separation of the ramp. It could be that

these reasons explain the more folded state of beds in the upper part of the section

than in the lower. The factor of pre-existing bedding parallel mechanical isotropy

created by strong lithological differences is one of the most important factors

determining the style of deformation in the study area.

The Duhok Region is characterized mostly by a hinter land-dipping series of

duplex structures. In some areas the shortening by the displacement on thrusts is

greater than that by folding. This may reflect the behavior of the rocks in this area.

According to these results, it is difficult also to explain the features in terms of

shortening alone and for an explanation of these features folding term are also used.

From the above discussion, the relationship between thrusting and folding in the

study area is not simple and this complexity is caused by:

Simultaneous faulting and folding. or

Faulting and folding are formed in different times.

According to evolve ideas, folding in the study area is take place mostly in the

hanging wall (e.g. hanging wall anticlines). Geologists refer to the Fold Thrust belts

as “ Fold-Thrust Belts ” because, in addition to the thrust systems that we have just

described, these belts contain spectacular folds, with amplitudes ranging from

millimeters up to a few kilometers, these folds call “ thrust-related folds ” because

they form in association with displacement on thrust faults. According to Jamison

(1987) and based on Van der Pluijm and Marshak (2004) models, the model of the

"folding –during –thrusting or Fault-bend folding model is more compatible with the

results present in Figure (2). This model involves a close relationship between the

formation of folds and the propagation and movement of thrusts, when a layer-parallel

thrust cut through stratigraphy, and then flattens again in a stratigraphically higher

detachment (Johnson and Berger, 1989; Rich, 1934; Suppe, 1983).

Most of these structures are located in the northern part of the areas where the

hanging-wall moves to the south. The anticlines located on the frontal Ramps and



some others are located on the oblique ramps. Based on present data and on above

assumption, the incompetent Rock units bellow the Pila Spi formation as example

contains one of major detachment surfaces (e.g. Gercus formation and all rock units

above) that rocks in the hanging-wall. These thrusts are thought to propagate mainly

in the transport direction, beginning with sole (Detachment) thrust lower in the

succession out of this thrust a series of a thrust develop. Numerous thrust

progressively develop in the transport directions and are almost layer parallel. These

thrusts merge together to form a roof thrust. These results agree with other studies

(e.g. Salih and Al Dahgstani 1993).

All these evidences (beds have behaved as detachment surface, long flats, short

ramps, hinter land dipping duplex and pop-up structures) which are present in the

study area support the thin skin tectonic model.

8. CONCLUSIONS

The Duhok region forms one of the most thrust units in the arcute foreland thrust and

fold belt of the Taurus-Zagros orogenic belt in the Arabian Peninsula. The Duhok

region is located in the southern part of this belt and its main structural feature is the

presence of several thrusts branching from sole thrust located in the ---- Fn. (age ) and

a cross –folding system. These thrust systems with dominate southwestward and

northeastward transport direction, presents six major thrust sheets as well as an

imbricate fan system and a duplex. The minimum value of accumulated displacement

is 23.17 km. Folds within the sheets are related to frontal hanging-wall ramps. The

folds deforming the thrust surfaces are related to roof topography of underlying thrust

systems. This system of faults forms a second thrust system (including back thrusts

with piggy back sequences), and reactivated the earlier thrust system.

So, the folds and thrust patterns have evolved as expression of shortening which is

approximately N-S or NE-SW directed and sub parallel to the bedding. Due to

continuous squeezing between Arabian plate and Iranian-Anatolian plates, the thrust

planes on the layer boundaries developed. These thrusts are explained as thrusts

splaying to the northeast and southwest (Figure 13). The study area was percent is

equal to 20-24%. So, thin skin thrusting model is more acceptable to interpretation of

structures in the Duhok Region.

Figure 13 Sketch showing the development of the study area and the relationship

between folding and thrusting



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thrust fault tectonics in the duhok region (high folded zone, n iraq)

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