I'm sitting at Aslan Guesthouse in Urfa,Turkey, reading some recently published articles about the situation in Kobane. Kobane, which is currently under attack by ISIS, is about 60km or a 1.5 hour drive away from Urfa. However, there are still tourists in the city, and it's safe to visit. Tour groups going to Mt. Nemrut, Gobekli Tepe, and even Harran are still booked. I'm not going to say that there's zero risk here, because obviously my security is not guaranteed just because nothing has happened to me, but life is going on in this city and ones nearby.
Things are quiet aside from Eid/Bayram holiday festivities, and the main sign of the conflict is the influx of Syrian refugees. I've noticed this through the presence of Syrian restaurants (aka terrific falafel - go support them and enjoy!) and the many refugees working in them and in other businesses, and by some amazing people I've met - Couchsurfers, NGO workers, translators, and the batch of freelance journalists and photographers that the guesthouse is full of. Every day the journalists/photographers get up early and go to the border via Suruc, which is relatively okay, but that no one would recommend visiting due to the high influx of refugees and closer proximity to the border. On that note, apparently a large portion of refugees have apparently gone to stay with any family they have in Turkey, meaning that the refugee camps aren't full, and Urfa itself is not overrun with refugees. The journalists come back late with stories about what it's like to actually see ISIS and hear the shelling. It's quiet surreal to hear them casually talk about it. Turkish military is increasing its presence at the border, although they have not crossed in to defend Kobane.
It is my honest belief that Urfa is safe enough to visit, and I'm glad that I came. I mainly came for the mix of cultures and the proximity to some amazing sites, but it's given me a lot of respect for the Kurdish people fighting ISIS, for the strength of the refugees who have come over and are trying to make it here until they can go home, and for the NGO workers who are trying to make a difference here. It's also been a humbling reminder of how privileged I am to be a traveler who can leave when I choose to.
Anyway, I'll be here a few more days and will update if I have anything else to contribute. I'm planning on doing Nemrut tomorrow, and Harran + Gobekli Tepe the day after, then probably going to Diyarbakir before going back to the west.
Happy holidays (Eid/Bayram, Yom Kippur, etc) and let this conflict end soon, Insha'Allah.
