Demonstrations
On 7 October, police and media report that 18 people died in violent protests which took place in a number of Turkish cities in response to the situation in Kobane, Syria. Further protests are possible in the next few days, particularly in Turkey’s south eastern provinces. The government has declared a curfew for the evening of 8 October in a number of cities in south eastern Turkey, including Diyarbakir, Mardin, Batman, Van, Siirt and Mus.
Demonstrations regularly take place across Turkey, particularly in Istanbul in the area around Taksim Square and in Kadikoy (Asian side), in the Kizilay district of central Ankara and on the waterfront area in central Izmir. Police have used tear gas and water cannon extensively to disperse protests.
You should remain vigilant and avoid areas where demonstrations are taking place.
Terrorism
There is a high threat from terrorism in Turkey and there are active terrorist groups throughout the country. These include domestic religious extremist and ideological groups, and international groups involved in the conflict in Syria. Attacks could be indiscriminate and could affect places visited by foreigners.
Border crossings into Syria and nearby locations have also been targeted. On 16 September 2014, there was a car bomb explosion near a garage in Al-Salameh, Syria, 1km south of the Bab Al-Salameh border crossing point between Turkey and Syria.