Turkey destroys its own exclave tomb in Syria, to not have it taken by IS

Kyriakos

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bbc 7 bbc heaven said:
Hundreds of Turkish troops in armoured vehicles have entered into northern Syria and evacuated a historic Ottoman tomb and the soldiers guarding it.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the remains of Suleyman Shah would be moved elsewhere in Syria.

He said troops had destroyed the tomb's complex, apparently to prevent it from being used by Islamic State (IS) militants.

Turkey considers the shrine be to sovereign territory.

Suleyman Shah, who lived from around 1178 to 1236, was grandfather of the founder of the Ottoman empire, Osman I.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-31572257

Rather a 'strange' move. But more strange still is Davu's claim that the remains of the tomb "will be moved to a safer, other area in Syria". lol?
The bbc article notes that the exclave was agreed upon in 1921, but obviously this does not mean Turkey can just name some other Syrian place as now its new exclave.
Apparently the turkish tanks ruined the tomb so as to "not have it fall to Isis". Somehow does not seem very logical?
 


Iwo Jima photo opportunity, or what?

Still, how else do you raise a flag?
 
The tomb has moved before
When the treaty was signed the tomb and legal enclave were some 80km south of their current location but were moved after the original site was flooded by the creation of the reservoir Lake Assad in 1974.
 
The tomb has moved before

Not the issue, cause this new development raises some other and more key questions:
That treaty allows Turkey to send tanks/soldiers into Syria if they want? And just set a new location as the shrine? (maybe they should choose an oil-field ;) ).
Cause i somehow doubt they got any authorisation from Syria itself.

Would look far less bizarre if they (after invading) just moved the shrine to Turkey and be done with it.
 
It is absolutely the issue when you ask why they had no qualms about demolishing it - they were willing to destroy a forty year old building to deny ISIS the propaganda coup of blowing it up, but they probably wouldn't have destroyed a four hundred year old building. Their tone was also far more that they were acting out of power rather than permission, which I think should be read as a not-very-veiled warning to those fighting in Syria that Turkey will not necessarily be bound by the letter of its laws and keep out of it.
 
It already caused some problems with Syria and Iran, due to the unpermitted military movement. I'm not sure about moving the tomb will be possible because of the raising tension. I'm also waiting for the reaction of the bigger powers like US or Russia to see where the international law will evolve.
 
Why would it cause problems with Iran? That seems very strange.
 
Iran is guarded against Turkey for some time because of Turkey-ISIS interactions, i'm not sure how much of the rumours are true but obviously they know something.
 
From their point of view as well, that was essentially an unopposed training exercise - they now have practice invading Syria and setting up to defend a position, and they'll be learning from what they need to improve.
 
Ah. I'm glad you said that.

I'd never have suspected Turkey of that motive, left to myself.
 
Well, politics of middle-east is crazy. Everyone is enemy and ally on different aspects with each other. It's hard even for us to catch up.
 
From their point of view as well, that was essentially an unopposed training exercise - they now have practice invading Syria and setting up to defend a position, and they'll be learning from what they need to improve.

Makes one wonder. Those religious fanatics surrounding the tomb are totally mad, bent on blowing up any old tombs they capture. This one they left alone so far, and then allowed the turks to get in, clean the place, and get out unopposed.

Turkey somehow seems to always be on the good side of that group...
 
Why wouldnt Turkey be on their good side? turkey pretty much has given them free reign in terms of moving recruits across the turkish border.
 
Makes one wonder. Those religious fanatics surrounding the tomb are totally mad, bent on blowing up any old tombs they capture. This one they left alone so far, and then allowed the turks to get in, clean the place, and get out unopposed.

Turkey somehow seems to always be on the good side of that group...

Why wouldnt Turkey be on their good side? turkey pretty much has given them free reign in terms of moving recruits across the turkish border.

That and IS aren't 'totally mad religious fanatics': they think strategically (even if part of that strategy is appearing to be totally mad religious fanatics) and have probably realised that giving one of the region's stronger militaries not just the excuse but a positive need to fight against them is not a wise move. Threatening the US in vague terms is one thing, but actually attacking a piece of Turkish sovereign territory hugely tied up with their national identity would be quite another.
 
Makes one wonder. Those religious fanatics surrounding the tomb are totally mad, bent on blowing up any old tombs they capture. This one they left alone so far, and then allowed the turks to get in, clean the place, and get out unopposed.

Turkey somehow seems to always be on the good side of that group...

I think there's been a small contingent of Turkish soldiers guarding it this whole time, or at least the BBC article gave that impression.

Considering how big IS' party has gotten, not sure they want to invite Turkey as well.
 
it's always incredible to watch the New Turkey to suprass inself , breaking a record after a one just established . It's a disgrace . Not the evacuation , in the sense the land left behind is still Turkish . And not in the sense that those 38 guys stuck in (during the months the ISIL was raging ahead) and just had to be taken out (as the ISIL gets into trouble) . And for that to happen , those two mechanized battalions had the run the gauntlet with 15 strong-roadblock running away as soon as they saw the size of the convoy ... Only with the "help" of the seperatists . Approximately for 30 kilometers . The rest of just 3 under the protection of ISIL . And not in the sense that they are actually bragging about this "game" where them evil Westerners want us in Syria and Ankara wisely and smartly and heroically stops that game . As if it's not Ankara who "could" go in and could not and that's why them Westerners are actually laughing at the mighty powerful Goverment . It's like blindingly clear that "Muslims" like Jihad so much as long as they don't get to fight .

the disgrace is the invasion . Which obviously makes Turkey legally a rogue state or something . Ankara supported our dear sunnier Sunni Brothers like hell ; shot down Syrian planes to prolong the war as if Ankara would ever be allowed to "conquer" anything . There was this glorious talk of prayers in the Mosques of Damascus , just like Sultans would pray in Constantinsomeplace or Belgrade or Baghdad or Vienna , had the last ever fallen . Ankara claims 350 000 people died in the Syrian fighting ; that naturally means the casualties are maybe about 150 000 . In return for all the talk of hegemony over the Middle East , the conquest amounts to 10 000 squaremeters . Was declared to be 800 meters from the border ; ı had assumed was all about securing an infiltration point to Syria ; later "amended" to a physical presence between the "cantons" and stuff of the "Western 'stan" . Turns out to be a field 180 to 250 meters from the border where the dearly and supremely glorious seperatists can guard our tanks guarding the "temporary" tomb . Foreign Minister actually claiming that we had doubled our holdings in Syria . Syria calls that invasion , the Little Imperialist calls Syrians murderers , a failed state and the field is ours . By a rough division of 2.5x1 meters , you can bury only 4000 dead Syrians in it , my Casio Fx-3600 calculator tells me ...

there's nothing recognizable in this , compensation is a natural for unlawful agricultural grap and construction ; but not on the scale of re-construction . That the Kurdish owner arrives to demand compensation does not negate Syrian title to the land . And of course , as per the course , we hold Washington responsible for every action of the New Turkey . If this turns out to be a basis of legal argumentation that (say) advanced bases for long range patrols are similarly unlawful , 2015 should have made it clear those are by the right of firepower . Do we look like as if we would accept ?
 
veterans of the History forum in CFC know ı had this "mission" of amassing a dozen thousand "Whats" , Wuts" and LOLs . Thanks ; every single item helps . Otherwise it clearly implies the recent thievery of Syrian soil is just an action of the A-K-P Goverment if and when the UN tries to pass a resolution that defines Turkey as a rogue country that's worthy of undivided American attention measured in Special Forces operations and air raids . Just kidding , we will be in total engagement in the clear ; will see the casualty rate .
 
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