Life is returning to Mağara, a historic Yazidi village in the Idil district of Şırnak, southeastern Türkiye, after extensive infrastructure investments and efforts to encourage former residents to return decades after they were displaced by terrorism.
The village, which was largely abandoned in the 1990s when attacks by the terrorist group PKK forced many Yazidi families to leave, is experiencing a gradual revival through the Interior Ministry's Return to Village Project.
Working under the project, the Şırnak Governor's Office and the Idil District Governorate contacted former residents living abroad, particularly in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, and invited them to return to their hometown. Following the outreach efforts, five families decided to resettle in the village, prompting authorities to accelerate infrastructure and development projects.
The Şırnak Special Provincial Administration launched a comprehensive program to improve living conditions in the village. As part of the work, 9.2 kilometers (5.7166 miles) of roads were built, a 2.2-kilometer irrigation network and a water treatment facility were established, sewage infrastructure was installed, a memorial site was constructed and street lighting was added throughout the settlement.
The improvements have encouraged more former residents to invest in their ancestral homes. While 5 families have already returned permanently, another 5 families living abroad have begun renovating their houses in preparation for moving back.
Authorities expect the number of returning residents to increase further. Around 20 additional families have been contacted and are considering returning to the village now that essential services and infrastructure have been completed.
Among those who have returned is Nusrettin Genç, an 80-year-old father of 8 who spent nearly 5 decades in Germany. Speaking about his decision to return, Genç said he was among the first villagers to leave Mağara in the 1990s and has now become one of the first to come back.
He said support from local authorities had transformed the village by solving long-standing issues related to electricity, water and sewage services.
"I spent 48 years in Europe, but I feel safe and secure in my village," Genç said. "The problems that once existed here have been resolved. Other villagers are preparing to return as well. 5 families have already settled here, and more are building homes. We currently have 10 houses ready. We are also in contact with around 20 more people who are planning to return. Our village is now ready for life."
The village's transformation has also attracted growing interest from visitors. A group of teachers visiting Şırnak from Ankara recently toured Mağara and expressed admiration for the renewed activity they witnessed.
Teacher Oya Yürüktümen said she was surprised by the number of visitors and the level of movement in the village.
"I did not expect to see so much activity here," she said. "Many people visit the village, which shows that it is valued and attracting attention. It is a place worth seeing, and I believe it has significant tourism potential."
Another visitor, Ebru Ergüneş, said experiencing the village firsthand was very different from following developments through media reports.
"We had heard about the changes taking place here, but seeing it ourselves is something else entirely," she said. "We had the chance to meet and speak with several Yazidi residents. I only wish more of those who once lived here were present so we could meet them as well."
According to Şırnak Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism Celal Baz, Mağara is one of the largest Yazidi villages in the region and has a history spanning approximately 1,200 years.
Baz said domestic tourism in the area has grown significantly in recent years, with tour buses regularly bringing visitors from across Türkiye to explore the village and its unique cultural heritage.
He noted that traditional houses featuring cave-like rooms extending into the mountainsides are among the village's most distinctive attractions.
"Mağara is a rare example of its kind in Türkiye," Baz said. "The foundation of tourism is security, and today there is a strong atmosphere of peace in both the village and the wider region. The governor's office and the Special Provincial Administration have completed all infrastructure and superstructure works, allowing visitors to travel here comfortably."
The revival of Mağara comes amid broader efforts under Türkiye's "Terror-Free Türkiye" initiative, which aims to eliminate the impact of terrorism on communities, strengthen security and support the return of displaced residents to their hometowns.
Over the past decade, enhanced security measures and investments in infrastructure have contributed to greater stability across southeastern Türkiye, enabling villages that were once affected by terrorism to rebuild and reconnect with their former residents.
