The Turkmens of Bay?rbucak

The Turkmens of the Bay?rbucak region in northwest Syria are subject to the attacks of Bashar al-Assad and Russian forces not only because they are Turkmens but also because their strategic location is extremely important. 

The clearance of Turkmens in this region bears two results: One, the al-Assad regime and Russia would enlarge their dominance regions; two, the Turkmen presence in the south of Hatay would be finished and the place would be inhabited by a population supporting al-Assad.  

When the cease-fire talks start on Jan. 1, 2016, the al-Assad regime wants to sit down at the negotiation table with this strength in its hand. 

Russian planes via air and the Lebanese Shia Hezbollah militia via land are the striking forces of al-Assad. 
Do you see how complicated calculations are in the Middle East? 

The current Turkish-Syrian border was drawn with the Oct. 20, 1921, agreement signed between France, the mandatary of Syria, and the Ankara government; regions such as Hatay as well as Bay?r and Bucak were on the Syrian side. This was approved in Lausanne. 

Mersin deputy Niyazi (Ramazano?lu) Bey delivered a very important speech in the parliament on the day of Aug. 21, 1923. He stated that while the 1921 agreement was signed, Ankara was still in a very troubled situation and criticized the acceptance of the border agreed upon in 1921. 

In his speech, Niyazi Bey explained the Turks who were left on the Syrian side as such: "There were three villages left to us from Hassa. Others were Teyek, Ekbez, Beylan, the boroughs of ?skenderun, the township of Reyhaniye, the Antakya district, the Ordu district, the Bay?r, Bucak and Hazine townships, a major portion of the Kilis borough, the Elbeyli and Turkmen districts...