Population: 101,000
Other names: Pirsus (Kurdish)
Southwest of Urfa, the town of Suruç was already a pretty desperate place even before it was swamped with refugees from Kobani 10km away across the Syrian border in 2014. You’ll struggle to find a single building of distinction here although there was a time when beehive houses like those at Harran could be seen in the villages on the outskirts – a few are mouldering away by the roadside on the way to the border.
In Turkey, Suruç is probably best known for the breeding of Arabian race horses, one of which appears on the town’s logo.
In July 2015 an IS-claimed suicide bomb went off in front of the Amara Cultural Centre, killing 34 people and triggering a chain of events that arguably led to the break-down of peace in the south-east into 2016.
Sleeping
If for any reason you need to stay here your best hope is going to be the centrally located Öğretmen Evi (Teachers House). Otherwise, the best choice of accommodation locally is in Şanlıurfa.
Transport info
There are frequent minibuses to Suruç from the lower level of Şanlıurfa‘s bus station. For the time being Suruç otogar remains in the town centre.
The refugees of Suruç, 2104: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.347896198710952.1073741878.137912259709348&type=1
