The government's revival project to rebuild a picturesque historical town devastated by PKK terrorists in southeastern Turkey is expected to be co
The government’s revival project to rebuild a picturesque historical town devastated by PKK terrorists in southeastern Turkey is expected to be completed in the next year, the mayor of the town said.
Sur District Mayor Abdullah Çiftçi noted that 70% of the homes destroyed by the terrorists were reconstructed based on the historic architectural design.
The 2.5 billion lira Sur Revival Project was launched based on the instructions of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and aims to revive life in Sur. There are similar projects in six terror-hit districts in the southeast.
One of the most prominent features of the project in Sur is the historic courtyard houses, which include the construction of 1,500 homes.
The Sur district in southeastern Diyarbakır province, which was once famous for its unique architecture and historical location inside the Diyarbakır Fortress, had been destroyed by the terrorists after they unilaterally abandoned the reconciliation process and took their war into urban areas in the summer of 2015.
It took Turkish security forces 103 days to eliminate the PKK from Sur district, as they carried out an extensive operation with utmost attention to make sure no civilians were harmed during the process.
Around 4,500 families had to leave their homes, while hundreds of traders in the district were forced to shut down or relocate businesses because of PKK terror attacks that indiscriminately targeted homes, stores and other buildings in the area.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU, has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women and children. The terrorist organization isn’t just active in Turkey but operates throughout the region, particularly in Syria and Iraq. The Turkish government has repeatedly called on the Iraqi government to eradicate the PKK threat. If not, Ankara says the TSK will exercise its rights and launch a cross-border operation in the area, as it did during Operation Euphrates Shield and Operation Olive Branch in Syria.