‘Pit of hell’: Turkish mum, daughter lead fight against coal mine

Milas: Near her village in southwestern Turkiye, Nejla Isik walks through what remains of the devastated Akbelen forest, pausing to stare down at the coal mine that is devouring the hillside.

“We call it the pit of hell,” muses the 48-year-old activist and local leader of Ikizkoy village, which has 70 homes.

When COP31 begins Monday in Antalya, summit host Turkiye is hoping to show off its best side with a campaign focused on renewable energies and electrification.

But those who want to draw attention to a different side of the story are not welcome.

For nearly a decade, Isik and her daughter Esra, 26, have thrown themselves into protesting against the mining projects slowly ravaging Mugla province, which lies several hundred kilometers west of Antalya.