Turkey seizes site to relocate historical tomb: PM

Turkey has seized a new site in Syria to relocate a revered historical tomb after military evacuation operations from its previous location, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Sunday.

Turkish troops have brought another land in Syria under control and the tomb was left "within Syrian border due to our rights derived from international law," the prime minister told a press conference in the Turkish capital of Ankara.

The Tomb of Suleyman Shah, located in the city of Aleppo in Syria near the Turkish border, is considered to be Turkish territory by Ankara. The tomb used to be guarded by 38 Turkish soldiers.

Suleyman Shah was the grandfather of Osman I, founder of the Ottoman Empire. The tomb was built at the end of the 13th century.

Earlier, Turkish media reported that Turkish soldiers were trapped by nearby Islamic State (IS) fighters for months, and the Ankara has vowed repeatedly to defend the tomb.

According to the Turkish leader, about 100 military vehicles, including 39 tanks, and 522 soldiers were involved in the operations that started late Saturday and continued through Sunday.

After removing the valuable artifacts, the soldiers detonated the symbolic building to prevent IS militants from using it as a base, said the prime minister, adding that Turkey would hold a relocation ceremony in Syria's Esme district in a couple of days.

Turkish troops did not engage in any clashes, but one Turkish soldier was killed by accident during the evacuation, Davutoglu said.

"Turkey did not ask permission nor demanded help from any parties," the prime minister added.

Every party was aware that we would respond drastically if intervened," he said indirectly referring to IS militants in Syria.

In 1921 when Paris still ruled Syria, France and Turkey reached a deal to assign the tomb as Turkish land. The 25 square km area was guarded by Turkish soldiers and flied the Turkish flag. Endit