(Hürriyet and Zaman Newspapers, 14 March 2014)
Ottoman founder Osman's Granddad's Tomb
The Tomb of Süleyman Shah in Syria, the only Turkish
land outside of Turkey, has been 'surrounded' by the
Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISID). The tomb is
located near the Syrian village of Karakozak, 35 kilometers
from the Turkish border at Suruç, in Şanlıurfa province.
For a long time the area around the tomb was under the
control of the Free Syrian Army (ÖSO) but since the day
before yesterday ÖSO forces have had to withdraw after
fierce clashes with the radical Islamist ISID, which has
been disowned even by Al Qaida.
Consequently, the tomb's surrounding area is now
controlled by ISID, which has previously made anti-Turkey
proclamations. Turkish troops guarding the tomb are on
high alert and have reported the situation to Turkish
General Staff (TGS) Headquarters.
In turn, TGS has issued orders to army and air force units
on the border for operations against ISID in the event of
an attack on the tomb. The 25 Turkish soldiers at the tomb
have been given shoot-to-kill orders.
The area of present-day Syria was controlled by France
after the demise of the Ottoman Empire but an agreement
was reached between Turkey and France in 1921, under
which the Tomb of Süleyman Shah, the grandfather of
Osman, the founder of the Ottoman dynasty, was accepted
as Turkish territory and protected by Turkish soldiers.
Süleyman Shah's Tomb is located 35
kilometers south of Suruç district.
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