Travel warning: Turkey tourists should avoid border regions!

Travel warning: Turkey tourists should avoid border regions!

The dramatic situation in Syria and the adjacent border regions to Türkiye has prompted the Federal Foreign Office to issue travel warnings. Travelers to Turkey are currently supposed to avoid seven specific border regions to Syria, including the cities of Hatay, Gaziantep and Şanlıurfa. These regions are particularly at risk due to the recent change of power in Syria, in which opposition forces took over the Presidential Palace on December 8, 2024. Despite the extensive ceasefire, there is still a high-risk scenario, since the possible return of violence threatens at any time. This was reported Ruhr24

security situation and travel warnings

The security situation in Syria remains extremely tense. Reports show that the Islamist militia Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and other groups have been checking far-reaching areas since the Assad government's fall, including important cities such as Damascus and Aleppo. German citizens are urgently advised to leave Syria because there are the possibility of arbitrary arrests and the lack of consular support. The German embassy in Damascus is closed, which makes it much more difficult to return, as the information of the Foreign Office

In addition, it is warned of the danger of becoming victims of kidnapping or terrorist attacks. In the past few weeks there has been an increase in Israeli air strikes on supposed Iranian goals in Syria, which increases the risk of civil losses. When traveling to the region, tourists should take their security seriously, avoid public events and continuously find out about the local situation. The travel warnings should therefore not be underestimated because the situation can change daily.