| Submit your comments on this article | |
| The Grand Turk | |
| Turkey evacuates troops guarding historic tomb, detonates structure | |
| 2015-02-22 | |
| [Hurriyet] Turkey has evacuated its military personnel protecting the Tomb of Suleyman Shah in northern Syria as well as the artifacts in the mausoleum by an operation jointly conducted by the intelligence organization and the Turkish army...The tomb, around 37 kilometers from the Turkish border [and surrounded by Syrian territory], is regarded Turkish territory by international agreements and was protected by some 40 soldiers. The tomb was made Turkish territory under a treaty signed with France in 1921, when France was the colonial power in Syria. Ankara regards it as sovereign territory and has repeatedly made clear that it will defend the mausoleum if it is attacked. The Tomb and its annex have gone through several processes of demolition, relocation, and reconstruction since 1939. The Tomb was moved to its current location in 1975 as a consequence of a dam construction. Without engaging in any clashes, Turkish troops early Feb. 22, after detonating the symbolic building
The Damascus government, which no longer controls the area but is at loggerheads with Ankara over the Syria conflict, lashed out at what it described as a "flagrant aggression" on Syrian territory. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the mission had succeeded, with the soldiers returning safely home and also bringing back the tomb containing the remains of Suleyman Shah, grandfather of the Ottoman empire's founder, Osman I. In a hugely symbolic move, Turkish troops also seized control of a new area inside Syria close to the Turkish border where officials said the tomb will be relocated within days. Turkish television showed pictures of troops triumphantly planting the Turkish flag at the new location in the nighttime operation. Turkish tanks had earlier driven through the ruined streets of the Syrian town of Kobane -- controlled by Kurdish fighters after a months long battle with jihadists -- on their way to the tomb. Davutoglu said that 572 Turkish soldiers using 39 tanks, 57 armored vehicles and 100 other military vehicles took part in the operation. | |
| Posted by:Anguper Hupomosing9418 |
| #1 Baby Assad has something to say ... * BHARAT RAKSHAK > [SANA.com] SYRIA: TURKEY'S TRANSGRESSION INTO SYRIAN TERRITORY PROVES ITS CONNECTION WID ISIS, FOREIGN MINSTRY SAYS. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2015-02-22 21:48 |