Suleyman Shah tomb identified with the Euphrates river

The details about the Turkish Armed Forces military operation for the relocation of the Suleyman Shah tomb and remains were revealed.

According to sources near the top government officials, taking into consideration the ease of security and logistic facilities, a pre-operation security meeting was held to discuss the relocation, in which at least five places were determined for the relocation of the tomb. But, some officials paid attention to the issue of the relationship the Suleyman Shah tomb had with the Euphrates Basin,and to maintain this recognition with the river, a decision was made to remove the tomb to Ashme village in Syria, just 200 meters from the Turkish border with Syria and near the banks of the Euphrates river.

Suleyman Shah, the grandfather of Osman I, the founder of the Ottoman Empire, was believed to have drowned with two soldiers in the river Euphrates in Syria. He was buried in or near Qal’at Ja’bar, a castle on the left bank of Lake Assad, in Syria, and a tomb was made there.

In accordance with Article 9 of the Treaty of Ankara signed in 1921 between Turkey and France, a one- hectare area containing the tomb of Suleyman Shah remained as Turkish property.

The tomb which was located on the Euphrates riverside, was removed twice, in 1939 and 1974.

In 1974, the tomb and artefacts were moved to a new location inside Syria, about 30 kilometers from Turkey’s southern border, but also on the bank of the Euphrates river.

The tomb, and about 40 Turkish soldiers who guarded the Turkish territory inside war-torn Syria, were relocated February 21, 2014, during Turkey's "Shah Firat" military operation.