In November 2013, a Kurdish Syrian refugee community found refuge far from the relentless conflict consuming their homeland. They made their way to Istanbul, settling in abandoned homes in the once-vibrant Ottoman district around the historic Süleymaniye Mosque on the city’s Third Hill. This neighborhood, formerly a place of rich history and community life, now stood in ruins. It was here, among these crumbling walls, that the refugees carved out a semblance of home.

Daily life unfolded slowly, constrained by barriers of language and a lack of formal refugee status, making employment nearly impossible. Men spent their days in idle gatherings, drinking tea, smoking, and watching television. Women managed household tasks, while older children roamed the streets, sometimes begging, while younger siblings remained close. The language gap meant that Kurdish-speaking children couldn’t attend Turkish schools, adding yet another layer to their isolation.

Some compassionate locals stepped in to provide food and clothing, extending gestures of solidarity that sustained the refugees. Yet, life in this neighborhood remained frozen, shadowed by news from Syria flickering on a corner TV and the occasional, heart-wrenching call from loved ones still in the conflict zone.

From 2013 to 2018, Ylijaasko documented the lives of these Syrian refugees in Süleymaniye. But in the spring of 2018, their story in this neighborhood came to an end. Turkish authorities cleared the area, and the refugees were forced to leave once more, beginning yet another uncertain journey in search of stability.

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