Turkey turns historic home in Syria’s Afrin into Atatürk shrine
AFRIN, Syria (North Press) – North Press obtained exclusive photos on Monday showing the Turkish flag raised atop a historic house in the Afrin countryside, northwestern Syria, recently seized by Turkish officials under the pretext that Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, once stayed there.
A source told North Press that Turkish officials took control of the house of Hanif Agha in the village of Hajj Khalil, east of Rajo town. The building is considered one of the village’s oldest and most historically significant structures.
According to the source, Turkish forces renovated the house and converted it into a shrine for Turkish officials, claiming that Atatürk resided there for several days during World War I.
They added that the same house was previously looted and burned by the Hamza Division shortly after Turkish-backed forces took control of Afrin in 2018. Following the incident, Turkish authorities compelled the faction to restore and safeguard the property.
Two weeks ago, amid the withdrawal of certain factions and their families from Afrin, Turkish officials seized the house directly. The source said that access to the site is now restricted exclusively to Turkish officials, who have adorned it with Atatürk’s portraits and hoisted the Turkish flag atop the building.