05.12.2025 12:11
In recent years, the Bestler Dereler region, which has been referred to as a place where conflicts were intense and terrorism began, is now experiencing peace. For the first time, roads are being opened to the evacuated villages, and thousands of citizens are preparing to return to their homes.
The Bestler Dereler region, which includes the villages of Ayrım and Kovankaya in Şırnak's Beytüşşebap district, has started to be visited by villagers for the first time in over 30 years.
ROADS ARE REOPENING With the Terror-Free Turkey Project, roads that have been closed for years are being reopened one by one, as peace and security prevail. Şenoba Mayor Alihan Babat sent two construction machines to the region with his own resources, opening approximately 40 kilometers of new road. This work has allowed the local people to reach their villages for the first time in years. The village of Ayrım, which was evacuated in the 1990s for security reasons, and many nearby hamlets had been abandoned for many years. Families engaged in livestock farming used to export thousands of small livestock to Iraq, Iran, and Syria annually, making significant contributions to the regional economy. However, with the evacuation of the villages, production stopped, and the people were forced to migrate to various parts of the country.
"WE OPENED THE 40-KILOMETER ROAD WITH OUR OWN RESOURCES" Şenoba Mayor Alihan Babat stated that they have set foot in their villages again after many years and said:
'We are currently in our old village. There are hundreds of evacuated villages in the Bestler Dereler region. This is a very rich area located in the common geography of our provinces of Şırnak, Siirt, Hakkari, and Van. In the past, people here engaged in small livestock farming and beekeeping, exporting to countries like Syria, Iran, and Iraq. We opened approximately 40 kilometers of road with our own resources. In the spring, thousands of families want to come back here. With the support of the state, these villages can be revitalized again. I call on all the relevant units of our government from here. About a hundred thousand people migrated from here. If return projects to the village are initiated and roads continue to be built, hundreds of thousands of people will return to their villages. If agricultural and livestock support is provided, believe me, we will be able to export meat to neighboring countries again within 3 years,' he said.
PREPARATIONS HAVE STARTED TO SETTLE IN TWO VILLAGES Mayor Babat recalled that the Terror-Free Turkey Project has made the region livable again, stating, 'Thanks to our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli's vision of a 'Terror-Free Turkey', we can return to these villages today. Our security forces are working tirelessly everywhere. May God grant long lives to our two leaders. Our country needs unity and solidarity. If the Bestler Dereler region is reopened, hundreds of thousands of people will return to their villages. As former villagers, we are preparing to settle in Ayrım and Kovankaya in the spring. Our people can engage in livestock farming and beekeeping here with peace of mind. We request special support from our government for this region. We ask for the support of our government for the reopening of thousands of villages and hamlets on the borders of Şırnak, Siirt, Van, and Hakkari,' he said.