Nusaybin: A Border Town’s Tumultuous Present and Ancient Past

NUSAYBIN, 20 January 2026 – In the southeastern Turkish province of Mardin, the border town of Nusaybin continues to make headlines. Recent weeks have seen a tragic double murder, severe weather disrupting daily life, and a series of traffic accidents. Yet these contemporary incidents are but the latest chapter in a history stretching back nearly 3,000 years, for a settlement that has been a strategic prize for empires and a flashpoint in modern conflicts.

Recent Events in the District

Local news from early January 2026 has been dominated by a grim crime. On 8 January, two sisters, Sümeyye Khaled Abira and Süheyla Özdaş, were found shot dead in their home in Nusaybin. The subsequent investigation led to the arrest of a suspect identified as M.B., who was reported to be the religiously wedded husband of one of the victims. Authorities had initially feared the suspect had fled to Iraq. This incident follows other recent local reports of a fatal armed clash, several traffic accidents with injuries, and significant disruption caused by heavy rain and snow. The Mardin governorship also announced a one-day school closure due to severe weather earlier in the month.

Historical Crossroads

Known in antiquity as Nisibis, the town’s history is a tapestry of conquest and commerce. Recorded as early as 901 BCE in Akkadian inscriptions as Naṣibīna, it was refounded by the Seleucid dynasty as “Antioch on the Mygdonius”. Its strategic position on the fringes of the Tur Abdin hills, commanding the plains of Upper Mesopotamia, made it a fiercely contested frontier fortress between the Roman and Persian (Sassanid) empires. It was famously besieged three times in the 4th century by the Sassanid king Shapur II, with its defence celebrated by the Syriac poet Ephrem the Syrian.

For centuries, Nisibis was a major centre of Syriac Christianity and home to the influential School of Nisibis. It changed hands through the Islamic, Mongol, and Ottoman conquests, eventually becoming part of modern Turkey. The 20th century saw its demographic character shift, with an Assyrian Christian and Jewish population diminishing through emigration and events like the 1915 massacres, leading to its current predominantly Kurdish demographic.

The Modern Border and Recent Conflict

Today, Nusaybin is physically separated from its larger Syrian twin city, Qamishli, only by an international border. This proximity has deeply influenced its recent history. The town became a major battleground during intense clashes between the Turkish state and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in 2015-2016. A protracted curfew and heavy fighting resulted in significant destruction, the displacement of tens of thousands of residents, and the subsequent demolition and reconstruction of entire neighbourhoods by the Turkish government.

The town’s fate remains inextricably linked to the Syrian conflict. According to reports from late 2024 and 2025, Turkish military operations and those of its Syrian National Army (SNA) allies targeted the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) east of the Euphrates River. These operations, including the capture of Manbij and clashes around the Tishreen Dam near Kobani, were part of Ankara’s long-standing campaign to prevent Kurdish autonomy along its border. A ceasefire was reportedly brokered in April 2025. Furthermore, diplomatic sources from mid-2025 indicated secret Turkish negotiations with the post-Assad Syrian transitional government concerning a maritime border agreement in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Key Facts at a Glance

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Nusaybin historically significant?

Nusaybin, ancient Nisibis, was a major fortified city on the Roman-Persian frontier for centuries. It was a pivotal centre for trade, early Christianity (particularly the Syriac tradition), and learning, housing one of the most important theological schools of late antiquity.

What is the connection between Nusaybin and the Syrian conflict?

Nusaybin sits directly on the Turkish-Syrian border, facing the city of Qamishli. Its security is directly tied to Ankara’s policies towards Kurdish groups in Syria, whom Turkey views as extensions of the PKK. The town was heavily impacted by fighting in 2015-2016 and remains a strategic location in Turkey’s border security calculus, as seen in military operations reported in 2024-2025.

What was the major local news in Nusaybin in early 2026?

The dominant story was a criminal investigation into the murder of two sisters in their home on 8 January 2026. A suspect, described as the religious spouse of one victim, was taken into custody. The case drew significant local media attention.