Unknown individuals remove Turkish name from park sign in Aleppo
AZAZ, Syria (North Press) – Unknown individuals removed on Monday night the name of a Turkish official from a public park sign opened days ago in the city of Azaz in the north of Aleppo, northern Syria.
Azaz and its countryside have been under the occupation of the Turkish forces and their affiliated armed opposition factions, known as the Syrian National Army (SNA), since July 2012.
Azaz is administratively run by a local council that is affiliated with Kilis Province.
An exclusive source told North Press that masked individuals stroke off the name of the deputy Wali of the Turkish Province of Kilis, Omer Yilmaz, on the sign at the entrance of Azaz.
On August 10, The SNA factions opened the park and named it after Omer Yilmaz, which sparked mockery and anger on social media.
This came within the policy of ‘Turkification’ Turkey has adopted since it has occupied many areas in northern Syria, including raising the Turkish flag and imposing Turkish IDs on the population, as well as the Turkish language, which is taught in schools and institutes under its control. The Turkish lira also has become the common currency.
The source noted that a similar incident occurred before. The SNA factions changed the name of a school in the city of al-Bab, east of Aleppo, to the name of a Turkish officer killed in Syria. Later, unknown individuals removed it and renamed the school with its old name.