Turkey evacuated its military personnel protecting the Tomb of Suleyman Shah in northern Syria as well as the artifacts in the Suleyman Shah mausoleum by an operation jointly conducted by the intelligence organization and the Turkish army early Feb. 22, few days after reports suggested that the tomb was besieged by the jihadists belonging to the IS, Hürriyet Daily News reported.
The tomb, around 25 kilometers from the Turkish border, is regarded Turkish territory by international agreements and was protected by some 40 soldiers.
The CNNTurk reported that a soldier was killed due an accident during the operation that was launched late Feb. 21, citing military sources. It reported intense military mobility along the Turkish-Syrian border with Turkish jet fighters seen patrolling in the region.
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Land Forces Commander Hulusi Akar and other military officials determined the details of the military operation during a meeting at Turkey's General Staff headquarters in Ankaraon Feb. 20.
During the operation, airborne early warning and control (AWACS) aircraft, military helicopters and drones were on duty as some 50 tanks penetrated the border with support teams from Turkey's Special Forces. Live footage and other data from the field have been followed in the operation room at the General Staff headquarters.
Turkish troops detonated the symbolic building to prevent IS militants use it as a base after the evacuation.
Prime Minister Davutoğlu announced in a series of tweets that the artifacts have been "temporarily" brought to Turkey, while Turkish army "took control of an area in the Ashma region of Syria, raising our flag, where Suleyman Shah will later be transferred."
Stressing that there is "an environment of conflict bearing every kind of risks" in Syria, Davutoglu described the operation, named "Shah Firat" (Shah Euphrates), as "extremely successful."