Turkey's Cizre Castle vandalized as Sivas cave dwellings draw tourists

Unknown individuals sprayed graffiti on the historic walls of Cizre Castle in southeastern Turkey, defacing the millennia‑old structure. Local resident Yusuf Üzen called the act "cultural barbarism" and urged authorities to clean the walls, increase surveillance and impose severe penalties.

In central Turkey, the 3,200‑year‑old cave apartments of Zara district, Sivas, are attracting visitors with their apartment‑like layout carved into rock. Archaeologists say the complex, used since the Roman era and possibly for defense, offers valuable insight into ancient Anatolian life and is being promoted as a cultural‑tourism site.