Report from Urfa and the situation at the Syrian border

It shouldn't affect it at all.Suruç is well off the main highway east.Looking at bus times there don't appear to be any cancellations.This road is the main west>east route to the Iraq border and will be kept open and well protected above any other as it is always very busy with lorries and of course military traffic too.

UPDATE:

Protests in Urfa. Police sent tear gas canisters against peaceful protests more than once. It's fine at the guest house but you can hear chants and more gas canister shots going off. However, most of the protest was over in an hour. I have the feeling that when Kobane falls, it's not going to be safe to be even in Urfa.

I had sent CS requests to Mardin and heard tonight from some people there that the situation in Mardin is NOT SAFE. Same in Diyarbakir. I've decided to go back west tomorrow (Antalya maybe), and even the journalists/photojournalists that are here in Urfa are expecting things to get worse, not better, especially when Kobane falls. Anyone planning to come to the region should absolutely keep an eye on the news, and if you can, contact Couchsurfers.

Many thanks Muteki for the update.Sad news but not unexpected.Safe travels back over to the west.

What a terrible thing to hear. You don't know how much I appreciate your post. I'll be paying attention to the news, making changes to my trip if it turns out necessary.

These are online English language Turkish newspaper web sites for people to keep up to date with what's happening-
www.hurriyetdailynews.com
www.todayszaman.com
www.dailysabah.com
and also-
www.edition.cnn.com/MIDDLEAST

I'm glad I could help, and wish I had better news.

The whole situation is terrible, and I really feel for the people who have to watch what's happening to their fellow Kurds (often family members and friends) on the Syrian side. In other news, I got some contacts and am trying to get information about any NGOs or charities that can accept and properly distribute monitory donations. I'm hoping to put together a note about where to donate so that people can help support the Syrian refugees.

It briefly showed some rioting on Newsnight tonight, and I thought it looked like Urfa. Interestingly Frank Gardener suggested that Erdogan may be working himself up to send troops across the border, which would be a hell of a development.

Currently the governments position is that they will send in ground forces along with other coalitions members' troops on condition that the agenda is not just to rout out ISIS but also to remove Assad too.We are all now waiting to see what the reply will be to this request....

All's quiet in Urfa at the moment, although maybe there will be more protests tonight. Who knows. I'm headed to the bus station today to get a ticket for tomorrow morning, probably to Adana and then onwards. I've been reading different news -- lots of confusion, different biases, etc. Hard to know who's right or wrong.

As a visitor it is better to stay out of the arguement of either side(s)simply making appropriately sympathetic noises depending on what the person you're talking to says....and leave it at that.You're right;it is a very confusing situation right now and when even locals can't agree on any one point a visitor doesn't stand a chance of doing so.
If yo're heading to Adana you could then go on to Mersin,Silifke and Anamur for a bit of interesting non touristy coast,perhaps stopping off at Tarsus on the way.