Syrian Turkmen, also called Syrian Turks or Syrian Turkish people (; ) are
Syria
Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
n citizens of
Turkish origin who mainly trace their roots to
Anatolia
Anatolia (), also known as Asia Minor, is a peninsula in West Asia that makes up the majority of the land area of Turkey. It is the westernmost protrusion of Asia and is geographically bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Aegean ...
(i.e. modern
Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
).
Turkish-speaking Syrian Turkmen make up the
third largest ethnic group in the country, after the
Arabs
Arabs (, , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world.
Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of yea ...
and
Kurds
Kurds (), or the Kurdish people, are an Iranian peoples, Iranic ethnic group from West Asia. They are indigenous to Kurdistan, which is a geographic region spanning southeastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, northern Iraq, and northeastern Syri ...
respectively.
[.]
The majority of Syrian Turkmen are the descendants of migrants who arrived in Syria during
Ottoman rule (1516–1918);
[.] however, there are also many Syrian Turkmen who are the descendants of earlier Turkish settlers that arrived during the
Seljuk Seljuk (, ''Selcuk'') or Saljuq (, ''Saljūq'') may refer to:
* Seljuk Empire (1051–1153), a medieval empire in the Middle East and central Asia
* Seljuk dynasty (c. 950–1307), the ruling dynasty of the Seljuk Empire and subsequent polities
* S ...
(1037–1194) and
Mamluk
Mamluk or Mamaluk (; (singular), , ''mamālīk'' (plural); translated as "one who is owned", meaning "slave") were non-Arab, ethnically diverse (mostly Turkic, Caucasian, Eastern and Southeastern European) enslaved mercenaries, slave-so ...
(1250–1517) periods. Some estimates indicate that if
Arabized Turkmen (those who no longer speak Turkish as their main language) are taken into account, they form the second-largest group in the country.
[.] The majority of Syrian Turkmen are
Sunni Muslims
Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Musli ...
.
Syrian Turkmen share common genealogical and linguistic ties with the Turkish people in Turkey and
Iraqi Turkmen
The Iraqi Turkmen (, عراق تورکمنلری; Arabic: تركمان العراق), also referred to as Iraqi Turks, (, عراق توركلری; ) are the third largest ethnic group in Iraq. They make up to 10%–13% of the Iraqi population. I ...
, but do not identify themselves with the
Turkmen of
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the south and southwest and the Caspian Sea to the west. Ash ...
and
Central Asia
Central Asia is a region of Asia consisting of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The countries as a group are also colloquially referred to as the "-stans" as all have names ending with the Persian language, Pers ...
.
[.] Most live near the
Syrian-Turkish border, in an area that runs from the northwestern governorates of
Idlib
Idlib (, ; also spelt Idleb or Edlib) is a city in northwestern Syria, and is the capital of the Idlib Governorate. It has an elevation of nearly above sea level, and is southwest of Aleppo. It is located near the border with Turkey.
History
...
and
Aleppo
Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Governorates of Syria, governorate of Syria. With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents it is Syria's largest city by urban area, and ...
to the
Raqqa Governorate
Raqqa Governorate (, Kurdish: ''Parêzgeha Reqa'') is one of the fourteen governorates of Syria. It is situated in the north of the country and covers an area of 19,618 km2. The capital is Raqqa. The Islamic State of Iraq and Levant claim ...
. Others reside in the
Turkmen Mountain
Turkmen Mountain (; ''Jabal Turkman'', ) is a mountain range in the north of the Latakia region of Syria, in the area called Bayırbucak locally in Turkish, neighboring the Turkish border. The name is not historically attested in written sourc ...
near
Latakia
Latakia (; ; Syrian Arabic, Syrian pronunciation: ) is the principal port city of Syria and capital city of the Latakia Governorate located on the Mediterranean coast. Historically, it has also been known as Laodicea in Syria or Laodicea ad Mar ...
, the city of
Homs
Homs ( ; ), known in pre-Islamic times as Emesa ( ; ), is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is Metres above sea level, above sea level and is located north of Damascus. Located on the Orontes River, Homs is ...
and its vicinity until
Hama
Hama ( ', ) is a city on the banks of the Orontes River in west-central Syria. It is located north of Damascus and north of Homs. It is the provincial capital of the Hama Governorate. With a population of 996,000 (2023 census), Hama is one o ...
,
Damascus
Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...
, and the southwestern governorates of
Daraa
Daraa (, Levantine Arabic: ) is a city in southwestern Syria, north of the border with Jordan. It is the capital of Daraa Governorate in the Hauran region. Located south of Damascus on the Damascus–Amman highway, it serves as a way sta ...
(bordering
Jordan
Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...
) and
Quneitra
Quneitra (also Al Qunaytirah, Qunaitira, or Kuneitra; , ''al-Qunayṭrah'' or ''al-Qunayṭirah'' ) is the largely destroyed and abandoned capital of the Quneitra Governorate in south-western Syria. It is situated in a high valley in the Golan ...
(bordering
Israel
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
).
During the ongoing
Syrian Civil War, many Syrian Turkmen were involved in military action against the
Assad regime
Ba'athist Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic (SAR), was the Syrian state between 1963 and 2024 under the one-party rule of the Syrian regional branch of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party. From 1971 until its collapse in 2024, it was rule ...
until its fall in December 2024. Additionally, they have been fighting against the
Syrian Democratic Forces
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is a Kurds in Syria, Kurdish-led coalition of U.S.-backed Left-wing politics, left-wing ethnic militias and rebel groups, and serves as the official military wing of the Democratic Autonomous Administration ...
(SDF), and have looked to the
Turkish Armed Forces
The Turkish Armed Forces (TAF; , TSK) are the armed forces, military forces of the Turkey, Republic of Turkey. The TAF consist of the Turkish Army, Land Forces, the Turkish Navy, Naval Forces and the Turkish Air Force, Air Forces. The Chief of ...
for support and protection. Many united under an official governing body, the
Syrian Turkmen Assembly, and established the military wing of the assembly, the
Syrian Turkmen Brigades. However, not all Turkmen support the
Turkish occupation of northern Syria
The Turkish Armed Forces and its ally the Syrian National Army have Turkish involvement in the Syrian Civil War, occupied areas of northern Syria since August 2016, during the Syrian civil war. Though these areas nominally acknowledge a governm ...
, and some have sided with the SDF, forming the
Seljuk Brigade
The Seljuk Brigade (, ) is a Syrian Turkmen rebel group participating in the Syrian civil war, named after the Seljuk Turks.
History
The Seljuk Brigade was founded in early 2013 in the northern Aleppo Governorate by Colonel Talal Ali Silo an ...
.
History

Turkic migration to Syria began in the 11th century during the rule of the
Seljuk Empire
The Seljuk Empire, or the Great Seljuk Empire, was a High Middle Ages, high medieval, culturally Turco-Persian tradition, Turco-Persian, Sunni Islam, Sunni Muslim empire, established and ruled by the Qiniq (tribe), Qïnïq branch of Oghuz Turks. ...
.
However, most Turkmen settled in the region after the
Ottoman sultan
Selim I
Selim I (; ; 10 October 1470 – 22 September 1520), known as Selim the Grim or Selim the Resolute (), was the List of sultans of the Ottoman Empire, sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1512 to 1520. Despite lasting only eight years, his reign is ...
conquered Syria in 1516.
[.] The Ottoman administration encouraged Turcoman families from
Anatolia
Anatolia (), also known as Asia Minor, is a peninsula in West Asia that makes up the majority of the land area of Turkey. It is the westernmost protrusion of Asia and is geographically bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Aegean ...
to establish villages throughout the rural hinterlands of several cities in
Ottoman Syria
Ottoman Syria () is a historiographical term used to describe the group of divisions of the Ottoman Empire within the region of the Levant, usually defined as being east of the Mediterranean Sea, west of the Euphrates River, north of the Ara ...
(and later the
Syria Vilayet).
Migration from Anatolia to Syria was continuous for over 400 years of Ottoman rule, until the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire in 1918; nonetheless, Syrian Turkmen community continued to reside in the region during the
French Mandate and the formation of
Syrian Republics.
Seljuk era
Syrian Turkmen have had a presence in Syria since the 11th century.
[.] The first recorded entry of free Turkmen troops into Syria was in 1064 when the Turkmen prince
Ibn Khan and 1,000 of his archers entered
Aleppo
Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Governorates of Syria, governorate of Syria. With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents it is Syria's largest city by urban area, and ...
.
[.][.] He came at the request of the
Arab
Arabs (, , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world.
Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years ...
Mirdasid emir
Atiyya ibn Salih to assist him against his own
Banu Kilab
The Banu Kilab () was an Arab tribe in the western Najd (central Arabian Peninsula, Arabia) where they controlled the horse-breeding pastures of Dariyya from the mid-6th century until at least the mid-9th century. The tribe was divided into ten br ...
tribesmen who backed a rival Mirdasid emir,
Mahmud ibn Nasr.
Turkmen rule in the region began with the
Seljuk Seljuk (, ''Selcuk'') or Saljuq (, ''Saljūq'') may refer to:
* Seljuk Empire (1051–1153), a medieval empire in the Middle East and central Asia
* Seljuk dynasty (c. 950–1307), the ruling dynasty of the Seljuk Empire and subsequent polities
* S ...
conquests in the Middle East. The
Seljuk Turks
The Seljuk dynasty, or Seljukids ( ; , ''Saljuqian'',) alternatively spelled as Saljuqids or Seljuk Turks, was an Oghuz Turks, Oghuz Turkic, Sunni Muslim dynasty that gradually became Persianate society, Persianate and contributed to Turco-Persi ...
opened the way for mass migration of Turkish nomads once they entered northern Syria in 1071, and took
Damascus
Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...
in 1078 and Aleppo in 1086. By the 12tn century the Turkic
Zengid dynasty
The Zengid or Zangid dynasty, also referred to as the Atabegate of Mosul, Aleppo and Damascus (Arabic: أتابكة الموصل وحلب ودمشق), or the Zengid State (Old Anatolian Turkish: , Modern Turkish: ; ) was initially an '' Atabegat ...
(a
vassal
A vassal or liege subject is a person regarded as having a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch, in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. While the subordinate party is called a vassal, the dominant party is called a suzerain ...
of the Seljuk Empire) continued to settle Turkmen in the
wilayah
A wilayah ( or ''wilāya'', plural ; Urdu, Pashto and ; ) is an administrative division, usually translated as "state", " province" or occasionally as " governorate". The word comes from the Arabic root "''w-l-y''", "to govern": a '' wāli''� ...
of
Aleppo
Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Governorates of Syria, governorate of Syria. With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents it is Syria's largest city by urban area, and ...
to confront attacks from the
Crusaders
The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The most prominent of these were the campaigns to the Holy Land aimed at reclaiming Jerusalem and its surrounding ...
. In return for their military service, the Turkic rulers distributed
fiefs in the area to the Turkmen.
Mamluk era

In 1260, the
Mamluk Sultanate
The Mamluk Sultanate (), also known as Mamluk Egypt or the Mamluk Empire, was a state that ruled Egypt, the Levant and the Hejaz from the mid-13th to early 16th centuries, with Cairo as its capital. It was ruled by a military caste of mamluks ...
– ruled by a line of Turkish and Circassian sultans – entered Syria in response to the Mongol invasions. Whilst
Cairo
Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...
remained the seat of the Mamluk Sultanate,
Damascus
Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...
became their second capital. Hence, by the thirteenth century, the Turkmen formed a part of the armies of Damascus and
Aleppo
Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Governorates of Syria, governorate of Syria. With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents it is Syria's largest city by urban area, and ...
, and permanently settled in these regions.
After the
Bahri sultan of the
Mamluks
Mamluk or Mamaluk (; (singular), , ''mamālīk'' (plural); translated as "one who is owned", meaning "slave") were non-Arab, ethnically diverse (mostly Turkic, Caucasian, Eastern and Southeastern European) enslaved mercenaries, slave-sold ...
,
Baibars
Al-Malik al-Zahir Rukn al-Din Baybars al-Bunduqdari (; 1223/1228 – 1 July 1277), commonly known as Baibars or Baybars () and nicknamed Abu al-Futuh (, ), was the fourth Mamluk sultan of Egypt and Syria, of Turkic Kipchak origin, in the Ba ...
, destroyed
Qara he settled Turkmen in the town in 1265. Two years later, he settled more Turkmen in the Syrian coast to protect the region. The Turkmen were called on to assist in the capture of
Margat by the Muslim commander of the
Krak des Chevaliers
Krak des Chevaliers (; , ; or , ; from , ) is a medieval castle in Syria and one of the most important preserved medieval castles in the world. The site was first inhabited in the 11th century by Kurds, Kurdish troops garrisoned there by ...
in 1280.
[.] The late Mamluk-era writer
Ahmad al-Qalqashandi
Shihāb al-Dīn Abū 'l-Abbās Aḥmad ibn ‘Alī ibn Aḥmad ‘Abd Allāh al-Fazārī al-Shāfiʿī better known by the epithet al-Qalqashandī (; 1355 or 1356 – 1418), was a medieval Arab Egyptian encyclopedist, polymath and mathemat ...
noted that Turkmen formed contingents in the regular armies of greater Syria. By the 15th century, the Muslim writer Khalil az-Zahiri recorded 180,000 Turkmen soldiers and 20,000 Kurdish soldiers in Syria.
The Turkmen mainly lived in the provinces of
Aleppo
Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Governorates of Syria, governorate of Syria. With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents it is Syria's largest city by urban area, and ...
and were settled in suburbs such as al-Hadir al-Sulaymani; they also live near the coast and the
Jawlan (i.e. Golan Heights).
Ottoman era
Mamluk rule of Syria ended once the
Ottoman Sultan
Selim I
Selim I (; ; 10 October 1470 – 22 September 1520), known as Selim the Grim or Selim the Resolute (), was the List of sultans of the Ottoman Empire, sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1512 to 1520. Despite lasting only eight years, his reign is ...
conquered the region in 1516–17. Thereafter, the Ottoman administration encouraged Turkish nomads from
Anatolia
Anatolia (), also known as Asia Minor, is a peninsula in West Asia that makes up the majority of the land area of Turkey. It is the westernmost protrusion of Asia and is geographically bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Aegean ...
to settle in strategic areas of the region. By the sixteenth century the Ottomans continued to settle Turkmen in the rural areas around
Homs
Homs ( ; ), known in pre-Islamic times as Emesa ( ; ), is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is Metres above sea level, above sea level and is located north of Damascus. Located on the Orontes River, Homs is ...
and
Hama
Hama ( ', ) is a city on the banks of the Orontes River in west-central Syria. It is located north of Damascus and north of Homs. It is the provincial capital of the Hama Governorate. With a population of 996,000 (2023 census), Hama is one o ...
to keep the
Bedouin
The Bedouin, Beduin, or Bedu ( ; , singular ) are pastorally nomadic Arab tribes who have historically inhabited the desert regions in the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, the Levant, and Mesopotamia (Iraq). The Bedouin originated in the Sy ...
in check and serve as
mütesellim
''Mütesellim'' or ''mutesellim'' () was an Ottoman gubernatorial title used to describe mainly the head of a ''nahiye'', but also other positions within the Ottoman hierarchy, depending on the context. Mostly this title was used for civil gover ...
.
[.]
Turkish migration from
Anatolia
Anatolia (), also known as Asia Minor, is a peninsula in West Asia that makes up the majority of the land area of Turkey. It is the westernmost protrusion of Asia and is geographically bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Aegean ...
to
Ottoman Syria
Ottoman Syria () is a historiographical term used to describe the group of divisions of the Ottoman Empire within the region of the Levant, usually defined as being east of the Mediterranean Sea, west of the Euphrates River, north of the Ara ...
was continuous for almost 400 years, until Ottoman rule ended in 1918.
The Turkish settlement throughout the rural hinterlands of several Syrian cities was a state-organized population transfer which was used to counter the demographic weight and influence of other ethnic groups in the region. Furthermore, the Turkmen served as the local gendarmes to help assert Ottoman authority.
By the late nineteenth century, many Turkish refugees who lost their lands to
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
in the
Europe
Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
an regions of the Ottoman Empire (particularly in the
Balkans
The Balkans ( , ), corresponding partially with the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throug ...
) settled in Ottoman Syria between 1878 and 1906 and were provided with new lands by the Ottoman state.
According to
Dawn Chatty, these Turkmen settlers (alongside
Circassian and
Chechen refugees) became loyal subjects to the sultan and were "driven to succeed in agriculture and ready to defend themselves against any
Bedouin
The Bedouin, Beduin, or Bedu ( ; , singular ) are pastorally nomadic Arab tribes who have historically inhabited the desert regions in the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, the Levant, and Mesopotamia (Iraq). The Bedouin originated in the Sy ...
claims to the land on which they had built their villages".
Vilayet of Aleppo
According to the French geographer
Vital Cuinet (1833–96), the Ottoman Turks (excluding Turkmen nomads) formed the second largest ethnic group, after the
Syrian Arabs, in the
Aleppo Sanjak. In his best known work ''La Turquie d'Asie, géographie administrative: statistique, descriptive et raisonnée de chaque province de l'Asie Mineure'' he stated that the demographic structure of the
Sanjak
A sanjak or sancak (, , "flag, banner") was an administrative division of the Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans also sometimes called the sanjak a liva (, ) from the name's calque in Arabic and Persian.
Banners were a common organization of nomad ...
was as follows:
French Mandate
The Alexandretta/Hatay Question

In 1921, the
Treaty of Ankara established
Alexandretta (present-day
Hatay
Hatay Province (, ) is the southernmost Provinces of Turkey, province and Metropolitan municipalities in Turkey, metropolitan municipality of Turkey. Its area is , and its population is 1,686,043 (2022). It is situated mostly outside Anatolia, ...
) under an autonomous regime under
French Mandate of Syria
The Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon (; , also referred to as the Levant States; 1923−1946) was a League of Nations mandate founded in the aftermath of the First World War and the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire, concerning the territories ...
. The Turks were initially satisfied with this agreement, because Article 7 declared that "The Turkish inhabitants of this district shall enjoy every facility for their cultural development. The
Turkish language
Turkish ( , , also known as 'Turkish of Turkey') is the most widely spoken of the Turkic languages, a member of Oghuz languages, Oghuz branch with around 90 million speakers. It is the national language of Turkey and one of two official languag ...
shall have official recognition." Moreover, Article 9 stated that the
tomb
A tomb ( ''tumbos'') or sepulchre () is a repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes. Placing a corpse into a tomb can be called '' immurement'', alth ...
of
Suleyman Shah, grandfather of the first
Ottoman ruler
Osman I
Osman I or Osman Ghazi (; or ''Osman Gazi''; died 1323/4) was the eponymous founder of the Ottoman Empire (first known as a bey, beylik or emirate). While initially a small Turkoman (ethnonym), Turkoman principality during Osman's lifetime, h ...
, "shall remain, with its appurtenances, the property of Turkey."
In September 1936, France announced that it would grant full independence to Syria, which would also include Alexandretta. The President of the
Republic of Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
,
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk ( 1881 – 10 November 1938) was a Turkish field marshal and revolutionary statesman who was the founding father of the Republic of Turkey, serving as its first President of Turkey, president from 1923 until Death an ...
, responded with a demand that Alexandretta be given its own independence.
[.] The issue was brought before the
League of Nations
The League of Nations (LN or LoN; , SdN) was the first worldwide intergovernmental organisation whose principal mission was to maintain world peace. It was founded on 10 January 1920 by the Paris Peace Conference (1919–1920), Paris Peace ...
, which sent a mission to the district in January 1937. The mission concluded that the Turks constituted a majority and by July 1938 elections were held in the province; the Turks formed a majority of 22 seats in a 40-seat parliament of the newly established
Hatay State
Hatay State (; ; ), also known informally as the Republic of Hatay (), was a transitional nation that existed from 2 September 1938 to 29 June 1939, being located in the territory of the Sanjak of Alexandretta of the French Mandate of Syria. The ...
, which remained a joint Franco-Turkish protectorate.
[.] The Hatay State began using
Turkish flags, and petitioned
Ankara
Ankara is the capital city of Turkey and List of national capitals by area, the largest capital by area in the world. Located in the Central Anatolia Region, central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5,290,822 in its urban center ( ...
to unify Hatay to the Republic of Turkey. France finally agreed to the Turkish annexation on 23 July 1939.
Today, the
Bayırbucak region, the coastal and rural section covering the northern Latakia area, has a considerable Turkmen presence and is considered by some Turks as a "stretch of the modern Turkish Hatay Province".
Syrian Republican era

After the
Sanjak of Alexandretta
The Sanjak of Alexandretta (; ; ) was a sanjak of the Mandate of Syria composed of two qadaas of the former Aleppo Vilayet ( Alexandretta and Antioch, now İskenderun and Antakya). It became autonomous under Article 7 of the 1921 Treaty of An ...
became the province of
Hatay
Hatay Province (, ) is the southernmost Provinces of Turkey, province and Metropolitan municipalities in Turkey, metropolitan municipality of Turkey. Its area is , and its population is 1,686,043 (2022). It is situated mostly outside Anatolia, ...
in the
Republic of Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
, in 1939, some Turkish families immigrated into the new borders of Syria, settling in the provinces of
Aleppo
Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Governorates of Syria, governorate of Syria. With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents it is Syria's largest city by urban area, and ...
and
Damascus
Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...
.
Hence, new "Turkish streets" began to emerge, such as in the
al-Salihia district in
Damascus
Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...
. Family unifications of Turkmen families living on both sides of the Syrian-Turkish border continued for more than 70 years until the outbreak of the Syrian revolution.
By 1950,
Latakia
Latakia (; ; Syrian Arabic, Syrian pronunciation: ) is the principal port city of Syria and capital city of the Latakia Governorate located on the Mediterranean coast. Historically, it has also been known as Laodicea in Syria or Laodicea ad Mar ...
showed great economic potential as the largest port city in Syria, and many Syrian Turkmen living in rural villages joined the Turkmen community already established there. Consequently, there is now a total of 265 Turkish villages in and around Latakia center.
In addition to urban migrations, under the name of "land reform", lands owned by the Turkmen were nationalized and Arabs were resettled in areas near the Turkish border. Arabization policies also saw the names of Turkish villages renamed with Arabic names.
Thus, a mass exodus of Syrian Turkmen migration to Turkey took place between 1945 and 1953, many of which settled in
Kirikhan,
Alexandretta and
Adana
Adana is a large city in southern Turkey. The city is situated on the Seyhan River, inland from the northeastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. It is the administrative seat of the Adana Province, Adana province, and has a population of 1 81 ...
, in southern Turkey.
The cultural and political rights of the Turkish-speaking minority remaining in Syrian territories was not guaranteed under any legal constitution.
Those living in large groups managed to protect their cultural identity, however, Turkmen living in smaller groups were significantly Arabized. In any case, the minority had no rights to open Turkish schools or associations.
By the late 20th century, Dr. Larry Clark stated there was "more than 200,000" Turkmen in Syria whilst the stated that estimates ranged between 800,000 and 1 million.
[.] Numerous academics placed the
Turkish-speaking
Sunni Muslim
Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Musli ...
population (i.e. not including Arabized or Alevi/Shia Turkmen) at approximately 3% of Syria's population, including Professor
Daniel Pipes
Daniel Pipes (born September 9, 1949) is an American former professor and commentator on foreign policy and the Middle East. He is the president of the Middle East Forum, and publisher of its ''Middle East Quarterly'' journal. His writing focus ...
Professor
Itamar Rabinovich, Professor Moshe Ma'oz, Dr.
Nikolaos van Dam,
[.] Dr Henry Munson, Professor
Alasdair Drysdale and Professor Raymond Hinnebusch.
Syrian Civil War (2011–present)
Since the beginning of the
Syrian civil war in 2011, large numbers of Syrian Turkmen have been displaced from their homes and many have been killed due to attacks by President
Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad (born 11September 1965) is a Syrian politician, military officer and former dictator
Sources characterising Assad as a dictator:
who served as the president of Syria from 2000 until fall of the Assad regime, his government ...
's government, as well as the terrorist attacks carried out by "
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
The Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Daesh, is a transnational Salafi jihadist organization and unrecognized quasi-state. IS occupied signi ...
" (ISIL). Whilst Turkmen villages in
Hama
Hama ( ', ) is a city on the banks of the Orontes River in west-central Syria. It is located north of Damascus and north of Homs. It is the provincial capital of the Hama Governorate. With a population of 996,000 (2023 census), Hama is one o ...
,
Homs
Homs ( ; ), known in pre-Islamic times as Emesa ( ; ), is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is Metres above sea level, above sea level and is located north of Damascus. Located on the Orontes River, Homs is ...
, and
Latakia
Latakia (; ; Syrian Arabic, Syrian pronunciation: ) is the principal port city of Syria and capital city of the Latakia Governorate located on the Mediterranean coast. Historically, it has also been known as Laodicea in Syria or Laodicea ad Mar ...
have been destroyed by the Syrian government, Turkmen villages in
Aleppo
Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Governorates of Syria, governorate of Syria. With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents it is Syria's largest city by urban area, and ...
were occupied by ISIL.
[.]

Syrian Turkmen, with the support of the
Republic of Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
, have taken up arms against the Syrian government.
Several Syrian Turkmen parties united under the
Syrian Turkmen Assembly, which is affiliated with the
National Coalition opposition group.
A Second Coastal Division was formed in 2015 and along with another extensive Turkmen militia group
Sultan Murad Division
The Sultan Murad Division (; ''Firqat al-Sultan Murad''; ) is a Syrian Turkmen rebel group fighting in the Syrian Civil War. It is aligned with the Syrian Interim Government and heavily supported by Turkey, who provides funding and military t ...
, the Turkmen brigades are closely affiliated with the
Free Syrian Army
The Free Syrian Army (FSA; ) is a Big tent, big-tent coalition of decentralized Syrian opposition (2011–2024), Syrian opposition rebel groups in the Syrian civil war founded on 29 July 2011 by Colonel Riad al-Asaad and six officers who defe ...
(FSA). Another Syrian Turkmen unit – the
Seljuk Brigade
The Seljuk Brigade (, ) is a Syrian Turkmen rebel group participating in the Syrian civil war, named after the Seljuk Turks.
History
The Seljuk Brigade was founded in early 2013 in the northern Aleppo Governorate by Colonel Talal Ali Silo an ...
and the Manbij Turkmen Brigade – have sided with the Kurdish-led
People's Protection Units
The People's Defense Units (YPG), also called People's Protection Units, is a libertarian socialist US-backed Kurds in Syria, Kurdish militant group in Syria and the primary component of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The YPG mostl ...
(YPG) and joined the
US-backed Kurdish-led opposition coalition called the
Syrian Democratic Forces
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is a Kurds in Syria, Kurdish-led coalition of U.S.-backed Left-wing politics, left-wing ethnic militias and rebel groups, and serves as the official military wing of the Democratic Autonomous Administration ...
(SDF).
Displacement
Since the beginning of the
Syrian civil war many Syrian
refugees
A refugee, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is a person "forced to flee their own country and seek safety in another country. They are unable to return to their own country because of feared persecution as ...
(including Syrian Turkmen) have sought asylum in
Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
,
Jordan
Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...
,
Lebanon
Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...
and northern
Iraq
Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
,
[.] as well as several
Western Europe
Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's extent varies depending on context.
The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the Western half of the ancient Mediterranean ...
an countries and
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
.
Moreover, many Syrian Turkmen have also been internally displaced from their homes, forcing them to settle in other parts of Syria.
In 2012 the
UN Refugee Agency had stated that Syrian Turkmen formed a significant number of the first wave of refugees who entered
Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
.
An article published by
Reuters
Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide writing in 16 languages. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world.
The agency ...
in 2015, reporting the Russian raids hitting Syrian Turkmen areas (after a Russian plane was shot down on the
Turkey-Syria border), said that "Officials estimate 300,000 Turkmen used to live in northern
Latakia
Latakia (; ; Syrian Arabic, Syrian pronunciation: ) is the principal port city of Syria and capital city of the Latakia Governorate located on the Mediterranean coast. Historically, it has also been known as Laodicea in Syria or Laodicea ad Mar ...
" before the Russians "heavily targeted ethnic Turkmen areas."
Al Jazeera English
Al Jazeera English (AJE; , ) is a 24-hour English-language News broadcasting, news channel operating under Al Jazeera Media Network, which is funded by the government of Qatar. Al Jazeera introduced an English-language division in 2006. It is ...
has also reported that the "Russian escalation of attacks on Turkmen areas" displaced "300,000 Turkmen from northern Latakia alone."
= By the Syrian Government
=
The Syrian Government of president
Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad (born 11September 1965) is a Syrian politician, military officer and former dictator
Sources characterising Assad as a dictator:
who served as the president of Syria from 2000 until fall of the Assad regime, his government ...
, backed by
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
since 2015, have targeted several areas populated by Syrian Turkmen, as they were largely involved in anti-government attacks. On 2 February 2016, at least seven women and children were killed by Russian air strikes in a Syrian Turkmen village in the northern countryside of
Homs
Homs ( ; ), known in pre-Islamic times as Emesa ( ; ), is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is Metres above sea level, above sea level and is located north of Damascus. Located on the Orontes River, Homs is ...
. In the same month Russian warplanes had staged 600 strikes on Syrian Turkmen villages, displacing approximately 10,000 people.
= By the YPG
=
There were also reports of forced displacement of Arabs, Syrian Turkmen and Kurdish civilians at the hands of the
YPG from their homes in areas in the
Democratic Federation of Northern Syria. In June 2015 there was concern expressed by the UN Human Rights Council regarding displacement of Syrian Turkmen from their homes in villages south of
Hasakah
Al-Hasakah (; / ; ) is a city in northeastern Syria and the capital of the Al-Hasakah Governorate. With a 2023 estimated population of 422,445, Al-Hasakah is populated by Kurds, Arabs, Assyrians and a smaller number of Armenians and Chechens. Al ...
and
Tal Abyad
Tell Abyad is a town in northern Syria. It is the administrative center of the Tell Abyad District within the Raqqa Governorate. Located along the Balikh River, it constitutes a divided city with the bordering city of Akçakale in Turkey.
History ...
during fighting with ISIL. Approximately 200 Syrian Turkmen refugees fled to
Urfa
Urfa, officially called Şanlıurfa (), is a city in southeastern Turkey and the capital of Şanlıurfa Province. The city was known as Edessa from Hellenistic period, Hellenistic times and into Christian times. Urfa is situated on a plain abo ...
, in southern Turkey, while 700 more fled to the eastern areas of Tal Abyad, once the YPG seized the town of Tell Hammam al-Turkman from
ISIL
The Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Daesh, is a transnational Salafi jihadist organization and unrecognized quasi-state. IS occupied signif ...
, and there were claims that the YPG had accused the locals of collaborating with ISIL.
Current population
There are no reliable estimates on the total number of ethnic minorities living in Syria because official censuses conducted under the
Assad regime
Ba'athist Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic (SAR), was the Syrian state between 1963 and 2024 under the one-party rule of the Syrian regional branch of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party. From 1971 until its collapse in 2024, it was rule ...
had only asked citizens about their religion. Therefore, Syrian citizens were not allowed to declare their ethnic origin nor their mother tongue.
[.] Dr. Abdelwahed Mekki-Berrada, in a report published by the
UNHCR
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is a United Nations agency mandated to aid and Humanitarian protection, protect refugees, Internally displaced person, forcibly displaced communities, and Statelessness, s ...
, points out that the majority of Syrians are considered
Arab
Arabs (, , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world.
Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years ...
, however, this is a term based on their spoken language, and not their ethnic affiliation.
Consequently, this has created difficulties in estimating the total Syrian Turkmen population, which includes both Turkish-speaking as well as
Arabized Turkmen.
According to Professor Taef El-Azhari, the Syrian Turkmen “have always been the forgotten minority in the area, despite their large population.”
[.] Various professors, such as Dr. Abdelwahed Mekki-Berrada and Pierre Beckouche,
have all placed the Turkish-speaking Syrian Turkmen as the third largest ethnic group in the country, after
Arabs
Arabs (, , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world.
Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of yea ...
and
Kurds
Kurds (), or the Kurdish people, are an Iranian peoples, Iranic ethnic group from West Asia. They are indigenous to Kurdistan, which is a geographic region spanning southeastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, northern Iraq, and northeastern Syri ...
respectively. Yet, a report published by the
Arab Reform Initiative suggests that they may form the second largest ethnic group if
Arabized Turkmen are also taken into account:
Estimates since the Syrian Civil War
Assistant Professor Sebastian Maisel, focusing on the
Yezidis
Yazidis, also spelled Yezidis (; ), are a Kurdish-speaking endogamous religious group indigenous to Kurdistan, a geographical region in Western Asia that includes parts of Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and Iran. The majority of Yazidis remaining in ...
, claimed that Syrian Turkmen numbered 250,000, which constitutes approximately 1% of the population. However, Professor Pierre Beckouche stated that
Sunni Muslim
Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Musli ...
Turkmen alone formed 4% of the country's population before 2011, with their population estimated at approximately 1 million.
[.] Professor John Shoup has said that in 2018, the
Turkish-speaking Syrian Turkmen formed around 4-5% of the population.
Dr.
Jonathan Spyer, as well as a report published in cooperation between the
Norwegian Church Aid and the
World Council of Churches
The World Council of Churches (WCC) is a worldwide Christian inter-church organization founded in 1948 to work for the cause of ecumenism. Its full members today include the Assyrian Church of the East, most jurisdictions of the Eastern Orthodo ...
, stated that the Syrian Turkmen number anywhere from 500,000 to 3 million.
Professor
Pierre Piccinin claims that whilst 1.5 million Syrian Turkmen are
Turkish-speaking, their total population is between 3.5 and 6 million (15% to 20% of the population), including those who have adopted
Arabic
Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
as their mother tongue.
Diaspora
Middle East
= Turkey
=
In December 2016, the Turkish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary
Ümit Yalçın stated that Turkey had opened its borders to around 500,000 Syrian Turkmen.
Most Syrian Turkmen settled in
Istanbul
Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...
,
Gaziantep
Gaziantep, historically Aintab and still informally called Antep, is a major city in south-central Turkey. It is the capital of the Gaziantep Province, in the westernmost part of Turkey's Southeastern Anatolia Region and partially in the Medi ...
,
Osmaniye,
Hatay
Hatay Province (, ) is the southernmost Provinces of Turkey, province and Metropolitan municipalities in Turkey, metropolitan municipality of Turkey. Its area is , and its population is 1,686,043 (2022). It is situated mostly outside Anatolia, ...
,
Izmir,
Malatya
Malatya (; ; Syriac language, Syriac ܡܠܝܛܝܢܐ Malīṭīná; ; Ancient Greek: Μελιτηνή) is a city in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey and the capital of Malatya Province. The city has been a human settlement for thousands of y ...
, and
Konya
Konya is a major city in central Turkey, on the southwestern edge of the Central Anatolian Plateau, and is the capital of Konya Province. During antiquity and into Seljuk times it was known as Iconium. In 19th-century accounts of the city in En ...
.
In 2020, the ''
Voice of America
Voice of America (VOA or VoA) is an international broadcasting network funded by the federal government of the United States that by law has editorial independence from the government. It is the largest and oldest of the American internation ...
'' reported that 1,000,000 Syrian Turkmen, including their descendants, who are living in Turkey have requested to become Turkish citizens.
= Lebanon
=
In October 2015, the Syrian independent newspaper ''Zaman Al Wasl'' reported that around 120,000 to 150,000 Syrian Turkmen were refugees in
Lebanon
Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...
, hence outnumbering the
Turkish minority of Lebanon.
By 2018, the number of Syrian Turkmen in Lebanon had increased to approximately 200,000.
= Jordan
=
A substantial number of Syrian Turkmen refugees had also sought refuge in
Jordan
Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...
.
Europe
Outside of the
Middle East
The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq.
The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...
, Syrian Turkmen refugees have mainly migrated to Western Europe, particularly
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
.
= Germany
=
Established in Germany, the "Suriye Türkmen Kültür ve Yardımlaşma Derneği – Avrupa", or "STKYDA" ''(“Syrian Turkmen Culture and Solidarity Association – Europe”),'' was the first Syrian Turkmen association to be launched in Europe. It was established in order to help the growing Syrian Turkmen community, which arrived to the country as part of the
European migrant crisis
The 2015 European migrant crisis was a period of significantly increased movement of refugees and Human migration, migrants into Europe, mostly from the Middle East. An estimated 1.3 million people came to the continent to request Right of asyl ...
, which started in 2014 and saw its peak in 2015. The association includes Syrian Turkmen youth activists who originate from various Syrian cities and now reside across Western Europe.
Areas of settlement
Most Syrian Turkmen live in the area around the northern
Euphrates
The Euphrates ( ; see #Etymology, below) is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of West Asia. Tigris–Euphrates river system, Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia (). Originati ...
, near the
Syrian-Turkish border; however, they are also scattered throughout several governorates, stretching towards central Syria and the southern region near the
Golan Heights
The Golan Heights, or simply the Golan, is a basaltic plateau at the southwest corner of Syria. It is bordered by the Yarmouk River in the south, the Sea of Galilee and Hula Valley in the west, the Anti-Lebanon mountains with Mount Hermon in t ...
. In particular, the Turkmen are concentrated in the urban centers and countryside of six governorates of Syria: in the
Aleppo Governorate
Aleppo Governorate ( / ALA-LC: ''Muḥāfaẓat Ḥalab'' ) is one of the fourteen Governorates of Syria, governorates of Syria. It is the most populous governorate in Syria with a population of more than 4,867,000 (2011 Est.), almost 23% of the t ...
, the
Damascus Governorate
Damascus Governorate ( ') is one of the fourteen governorates (provinces) of Syria. Completely surrounded by the Rif Dimashq Governorate, it consists only of the city of Damascus, the capital of Syria.
The governorate's area is around 107 km2, ...
, the
Homs Governorate
Homs Governorate ( / ALA-LC: ''Muḥāfaẓat Ḥimṣ'') is one of the fourteen Governorates of Syria, governorates (provinces) of Syria. It is situated in central Syria. Its geography differs in various locations in the governorate, from to . ...
, the
Hama Governorate
Hama Governorate ( / ALA-LC: ''Muḥāfaẓat Ḥamā'') is one of the 14 Governorates of Syria, governorates of Syria. It is situated in western-central Syria, bordering Idlib Governorate, Idlib and Aleppo Governorates to the north, Raqqa Gove ...
, the
Latakia Governorate
Latakia Governorate ( / ALA-LC: ''Muḥāfaẓat al-Lādhiqīyah''), also transliterated as Ladhakia, is one of the 14 Governorates of Syria, governorates of Syria. It is situated in northwestern Syria, bordering Turkey's Hatay Province to the no ...
and the
Quneitra Governorate
Quneitra Governorate is one of the fourteen governorates (provinces) of Syria. It is situated in southern Syria, notable for the location of the Golan Heights. The governorate borders the countries of Lebanon, Jordan and Israel, and the Syrian ...
.
[.] There are also smaller Turkmen communities living in the
Daraa Governorate
Daraa Governorate ( / ALA-LC: ') is one of the fourteen Governorates of Syria, governorates (provinces) of Syria. It is situated in the south-west of the country and covers an area of 2594 km2. It is bordered by Jordan to the south, Quneitra G ...
;
as well as in
Tartous,
Raqqa
Raqqa (, also , Kurdish language, Kurdish: ''Reqa'') is a city in Syria on the North bank of the Euphrates River, about east of Aleppo. It is located east of the Tabqa Dam, Syria's largest dam. The Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine city and b ...
, and
Idlib
Idlib (, ; also spelt Idleb or Edlib) is a city in northwestern Syria, and is the capital of the Idlib Governorate. It has an elevation of nearly above sea level, and is southwest of Aleppo. It is located near the border with Turkey.
History
...
governorates.
In the Aleppo governorate, the main locales in which the Turkmen live include the city of
Aleppo
Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Governorates of Syria, governorate of Syria. With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents it is Syria's largest city by urban area, and ...
(with Bustan al-Basha, Haydariyah, Hllok, Sheikh Hizir, Sheikh Feriz, Saladdin, Owaijah being neighborhoods with ethnic Turkmen populations) and the countryside in the northern part of the governorate. They also live in the villages next to the cities of
Azaz
Azaz () is a city in northwest Syria, roughly north-northwest of Aleppo. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Azaz had a population of 31,623 at the 2004 census. ,
Al-Bab
Al-Bab ( / ALA-LC: ''al-Bāb'') is a Syrian city, administratively belonging to the Aleppo Governorate. Al-Bab is located northeast of Aleppo, south of the Turkish border, and has an area of . Al-Bab has an altitude of . According to the Cen ...
, and
Jarabulus
Jarabulus (, ALA-LC: , Syrian Arabic, Aleppo dialect: ; or ; ) is a Syrian city administratively belonging to Aleppo Governorate, under the de facto control of the Syrian Opposition. Jarabulus lies on the western bank of the Euphrates and north ...
.
Al-Rai is also a Turkmen-dominated town. There are 16 Turkmen-dominated villages south of
Mount Simeon
Mount Simeon or Mount Simon ( Jabal Simʻān ), also called Mount Laylūn (), is a highland region in Aleppo Governorate in northern Syria. The mountain is located in the Mount Simeon (district), Mount Simeon and A'zaz District, Aʻzāz districts ...
, 17 Turkmen villages in the district of Azaz, 29 villages to the east of that region, 3 villages connected to Aleppo, 69 villages around Al-Rai, 26 villages in the vicinity of Jarabulus, and 23 villages south of
Sajur River
The Sajur ( ; ) is a long river originating in Turkey and flowing into the Euphrates in Syria. It is the smallest of the three rivers joining the Euphrates in Syria, and the only one that joins the Euphrates on its western bank. Occupation in th ...
.
In the Latakia governorate the Turkmen live mostly in the
Turkmen Mountain
Turkmen Mountain (; ''Jabal Turkman'', ) is a mountain range in the north of the Latakia region of Syria, in the area called Bayırbucak locally in Turkish, neighboring the Turkish border. The name is not historically attested in written sourc ...
s (Jabal al-Turkman),
Al-Badrusiyah,
Umm al-Tuyour, and in various villages near the
Syrian-Turkish border.
There is also a number of Turkmen districts, including
Bayırbucak and Jimmel Harresi where there are many Turkmen villages.
In the Damascus governorate the Turkmen live in the city of
Damascus
Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...
, and Harret Al Turkman is a Turkmen district where
Turkish is predominantly spoken.
In the Homs governorate the Turkmen mostly live in the city of
Homs
Homs ( ; ), known in pre-Islamic times as Emesa ( ; ), is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is Metres above sea level, above sea level and is located north of Damascus. Located on the Orontes River, Homs is ...
and the surrounding villages, such as Kara Avshar, Inallu, and Kapushak.
They also live in
Gharnatah,
Al-Krad,
Burj Qa'i,
al-Sam'lil, and in villages in the
Houla plain.
In the Hama governorate the Turkmen live in the city of
Hama
Hama ( ', ) is a city on the banks of the Orontes River in west-central Syria. It is located north of Damascus and north of Homs. It is the provincial capital of the Hama Governorate. With a population of 996,000 (2023 census), Hama is one o ...
and are also scattered in numerous villages around the district.
For example, Baba Amir Haras is a prominent Turkmen district.
There are also Turkmen living in
Aqrab and
Talaf. In the Quneitra governorate the Turkmen are scattered in numerous villages in the districts of
Quneitra
Quneitra (also Al Qunaytirah, Qunaitira, or Kuneitra; , ''al-Qunayṭrah'' or ''al-Qunayṭirah'' ) is the largely destroyed and abandoned capital of the Quneitra Governorate in south-western Syria. It is situated in a high valley in the Golan ...
.
They predominantly reside in the villages of Dababiye, Rezaniye, Sindiyane, Aynul Kara, Aynul Simsim, Ulayka, Aynul Alak, Ahmediye, Kafer Nafah, Mugir, Hafir, Hüseyniye, and Ayn Ayse.
Culture
Language

According to ''The Encyclopedia of Arabic Language and Linguistics'', the
Turkish language
Turkish ( , , also known as 'Turkish of Turkey') is the most widely spoken of the Turkic languages, a member of Oghuz languages, Oghuz branch with around 90 million speakers. It is the national language of Turkey and one of two official languag ...
is the third most widely used language in Syria (after
Arabic
Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
and
Kurdish
Kurdish may refer to:
*Kurds or Kurdish people
*Kurdish language
** Northern Kurdish (Kurmanji)
**Central Kurdish (Sorani)
**Southern Kurdish
** Laki Kurdish
*Kurdish alphabets
*Kurdistan, the land of the Kurdish people which includes:
**Southern ...
).
It is spoken by the Turkmen minority mostly in villages east of the
Euphrates
The Euphrates ( ; see #Etymology, below) is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of West Asia. Tigris–Euphrates river system, Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia (). Originati ...
, north of
Aleppo
Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Governorates of Syria, governorate of Syria. With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents it is Syria's largest city by urban area, and ...
, and on the northern coast of the country, along the
Syrian-Turkish border.
[.][.][.] In addition, there are Turkish
language island
A language island (a calque of German ''Sprachinsel''; also language enclave, language pocket) is an enclave of a language that is surrounded by one or more different languages. The term was introduced in 1847. Many speakers of these languages als ...
s in the
Qalamun area and the
Homs
Homs ( ; ), known in pre-Islamic times as Emesa ( ; ), is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is Metres above sea level, above sea level and is located north of Damascus. Located on the Orontes River, Homs is ...
area.
Moreover, Syrian Arabic dialects have also borrowed many
loanwords
A loanword (also a loan word, loan-word) is a word at least partly assimilated from one language (the donor language) into another language (the recipient or target language), through the process of borrowing. Borrowing is a metaphorical term t ...
from Turkish.
Mustafa Khalifa claims that, Turkmen are divided into two groups: Rural Turkish-speaking Turkmen, constituting 30% of Syrian Turkmen, and Urban
Arabic
Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
-speaking Turkmen.
Various dialects of Turkish are spoken throughout Syria: in
Aleppo
Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Governorates of Syria, governorate of Syria. With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents it is Syria's largest city by urban area, and ...
they speak a
Kilis
Kilis is a city in southernmost Turkey, near the Syria–Turkey border, border with Syria, and the administrative centre of Kilis Province and Kilis District. Its population is 112,187 (2022).
On 6 February 2023 Kilis was badly affected by the tw ...
and
Antep
Gaziantep, historically Aintab and still informally called Antep, is a major city in south-central Turkey. It is the capital of the Gaziantep Province, in the westernmost part of Turkey's Southeastern Anatolia Region and partially in the Medi ...
dialect; in
Tell Abyad and
Raqqa
Raqqa (, also , Kurdish language, Kurdish: ''Reqa'') is a city in Syria on the North bank of the Euphrates River, about east of Aleppo. It is located east of the Tabqa Dam, Syria's largest dam. The Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine city and b ...
they speak an
Urfa
Urfa, officially called Şanlıurfa (), is a city in southeastern Turkey and the capital of Şanlıurfa Province. The city was known as Edessa from Hellenistic period, Hellenistic times and into Christian times. Urfa is situated on a plain abo ...
dialect; and in
Bayırbucak they speak a
Hatay
Hatay Province (, ) is the southernmost Provinces of Turkey, province and Metropolitan municipalities in Turkey, metropolitan municipality of Turkey. Its area is , and its population is 1,686,043 (2022). It is situated mostly outside Anatolia, ...
/
Yayladağı dialect of the
Turkish language
Turkish ( , , also known as 'Turkish of Turkey') is the most widely spoken of the Turkic languages, a member of Oghuz languages, Oghuz branch with around 90 million speakers. It is the national language of Turkey and one of two official languag ...
.
Some Syrian Turkmen living far from the
Turkish border, such as in
Homs
Homs ( ; ), known in pre-Islamic times as Emesa ( ; ), is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is Metres above sea level, above sea level and is located north of Damascus. Located on the Orontes River, Homs is ...
, have managed to preserve their national identity but are more competent in speaking the
Arabic language
Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
. In
Damascus
Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...
Syrian Turkmen speak the Turkish language of a
Yörük dialect.
In 2018 Dr. Eldad J. Pardo and Maya Jacobi reported that they did not identify any Turkish (nor
Kurdish
Kurdish may refer to:
*Kurds or Kurdish people
*Kurdish language
** Northern Kurdish (Kurmanji)
**Central Kurdish (Sorani)
**Southern Kurdish
** Laki Kurdish
*Kurdish alphabets
*Kurdistan, the land of the Kurdish people which includes:
**Southern ...
or
Aramaic
Aramaic (; ) is a Northwest Semitic language that originated in the ancient region of Syria and quickly spread to Mesopotamia, the southern Levant, Sinai, southeastern Anatolia, and Eastern Arabia, where it has been continually written a ...
) teaching, either as a first or second language, in the Syrian
national curriculum A national curriculum is a common programme of study in schools that is designed to ensure nationwide uniformity of content and standards in education. It is usually legislated by the national government, possibly in consultation with state or othe ...
.
File:Çobanbey (Al-Rai) Council.jpg, Bilingual sign (Arabic and Turkish) of Al-Rai Council.
File:Al-Bab police station.jpg, Bilingual sign (Arabic and Turkish) of Al-Bab
Al-Bab ( / ALA-LC: ''al-Bāb'') is a Syrian city, administratively belonging to the Aleppo Governorate. Al-Bab is located northeast of Aleppo, south of the Turkish border, and has an area of . Al-Bab has an altitude of . According to the Cen ...
police station.
Religion
The majority of Syrian Turkmen are
Sunni Muslims
Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Musli ...
,
but there is also a small minority of Turkmen who are
Shia Muslims
Shia Islam is the second-largest Islamic schools and branches, branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad in Islam, Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political Succession to Muhammad, successor (caliph) and as the spiritual le ...
(particularly
Alevis and
Bektashis). Ali Öztürkmen claims that the Turkmen community is 99% Sunni whilst the remainder (1%) practice Shia Islam.
File:Flickr - Eusebius@Commons - Al-Adiliyah mosque.jpg, The Al-Adiliyah Mosque
Al-Adiliyah Mosque (, ) or Dukaginzâde Mehmed Pasha mosque was a külliye in Aleppo, located to the southwest of the Citadel of Aleppo, Citadel, in "Al-Jalloum" district of the ancient city, few meters away from Al-Saffahiyah mosque. The mosque ...
() in Aleppo
Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Governorates of Syria, governorate of Syria. With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents it is Syria's largest city by urban area, and ...
was built by the Ottomans in 1566.
File:Khusruwiyah Mosque, Aleppo.jpg, The Khusruwiyah Mosque () in Aleppo
Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Governorates of Syria, governorate of Syria. With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents it is Syria's largest city by urban area, and ...
was built by the Ottomans in 1547.
File:Damascus-34.jpg, The Murad Pasha Mosque () in Damascus
Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...
was built by the Ottomans in 1568.
File:جامع السنانية باب الجابية دمشق سوريا.JPG, The Sinan Pasha Mosque () in Damascus
Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...
was built by the Ottomans in 1590.
File:Takiyya as-Süleimaniyya Mosque 01.jpg, The Sulaymaniyya Takiyya
The Sulaymaniyya Takiyya (; ) is a '' takiyya'' ( Ottoman-era Arabic name for a mosque complex which served as a Sufi convent) in Damascus, Syria, located on the right bank of the Barada River.. Commissioned by the Ottoman sultan Suleiman the Ma ...
(known in Turkish as ) in Damascus
Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...
was built by the Ottomans in the sixteenth century.
There are also some Syrian "
Nawar people
The Dom (also called Domi; / ALA-LC: ', / , Ḍom / or , or sometimes also called Doms) are descendants of the Dom caste with origins in the Indian subcontinent, who through ancient migrations are found scattered across the Middle East and ...
" (a derogatory term for people who live a mobile lifestyle – often described as "gypsies") who speak
Turkish, some of whom self-identify as Turkmen;
those practicing
Islam
Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
belong to the
Sunni
Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Mu ...
,
Shiite
Shia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political successor (caliph) and as the spiritual leader of the Muslim community (imam). However, his right is understood ...
, and
Alevi
Alevism (; ; ) is a syncretic heterodox Islamic tradition, whose adherents follow the mystical Islamic teachings of Haji Bektash Veli, who taught the teachings of the Twelve Imams, whilst incorporating some traditions from shamanism. Differing ...
/
Bektashi
Bektashism (, ) is a tariqa, Sufi order of Islam that evolved in 13th-century western Anatolia and became widespread in the Ottoman Empire. It is named after the wali, ''walī'' "saint" Haji Bektash Veli, with adherents called Bektashis. The ...
religious groups.
There are also some who practice
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...
.
Discrimination

From the
French mandate era to the Assad regime, the Turkish culture and language have perished for a section of the Syrian Turkmen community.
Many Syrian Turkmen have become
Arabized and indistinguishable from the
Arabs
Arabs (, , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world.
Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of yea ...
in areas where they form a minority. Consequently, Arabization is mainly an exception in areas where the Syrian Turkmen live in areas where they form a significant population, where they have continued to maintain their Turkish identity and language despite discriminative state policies.
Under the rule of
Hafez al-Assad
Hafez al-Assad (6 October 193010 June 2000) was a Syrian politician and military officer who was the president of Syria from 1971 until Death and state funeral of Hafez al-Assad, his death in 2000. He was previously the Prime Minister of Syria ...
, there has been a ban on Syrian Turkmen communities from publishing works in
Turkish.
Syrian Turkmen occupied a low rung on the societal ladder, as reported by ''
Al Bawaba'', it was stated that Assad always sought to benefit his politically dominant Alawite religious minority. The report quoted
Bayırbucak Turkmen as highlighting, "They would take Alawites first no matter what, even if they had degrees, Turkmen couldn't find jobs".
Notable people

Several Turkish families, such as the
al-Atassi (Atasi), Bey Kanj Pasha Zadeh (Genç Yussef Pasha 1807–1811),
Al-Azm, Qawuqji, Quwwatli (Kuvvetli) and Shishakli (Çiçekçi), continued to rule Syria as Prime Ministers or Presidents.
[.] However, by the 1960s the pan-Arab Baathist movement of the
Al-Assad family
The Assad family ruled Syria from 1971, when Hafez al-Assad became President of Syria, president under the Ba'ath Party (Syrian-dominated faction), Ba'ath Party following the Corrective Movement (Syria), 1970 coup, until Bashar al-Assad was Fal ...
sidelined non-Arabs from politics.
*
Armande Altaï, French singer
*
Akshamsaddin, Ottoman religious scholar
*
Kanj Yousef Pasha Zadeh, Genç Pasha-Zadeh, Ottoman governor of Damascus state 1807–1811.
*
Al-Azm family
Al-Azm family ( , ) is a prominent Damascus, Damascene family. Their political influence in Ottoman Syria began in the 18th century when members of the family administered Maarrat al-Nu'man and Hama. A scion of the family, Ismail Pasha al-Azm, wa ...
**
Abdullah Pasha al-Azm, Ottoman governor of Damascus
**
As'ad Pasha al-Azm, Ottoman governor of Hama and Damascus
**
Haqqi al-Azm, former prime minister of Syria
**
Ibrahim bin Taher bin Ahmed Al-Azem (
ar), poet and human rights activist
**
Ismail Pasha al-Azm, Ottoman governor of Hama, Homs Tripoli and Damascus
**
Khalid al-Azm, six-time former prime minister of Syria
**
Muhammad Fawzi Pasha al-Azm (
ar), first president of the first parliament in Syria
**
Muhammad Pasha al-Azm, Ottoman governor of Sidon and Damascus
**
Rafīq Bey al-ʿAzm, intellectual, author, and politician
**
Sa'deddin Pasha al-Azm, Ottoman governor of Aleppo and Egypt (among others)
**
Sadiq al-Azm (
ar), traveler and Ottoman military commander
**
Sadiq Jalal al-Azm, professor emeritus of Modern European Philosophy at the University of Damascus
**
Sulayman Pasha al-Azm
Sulayman Pasha al-Azm (; ; died August 1743) was the governor of Sidon Eyalet (1727–33), Damascus Eyalet (1733–38, 1741–43), and Egypt Eyalet (1739–40) under the Ottoman Empire. He belonged to the prominent Al-Azm family and was the un ...
, Ottoman governor of Tripoli, Sidon and Damascus
*
Adel al-Azma, Politician
*
Bashir al-Azma, Prime Minister of Syria (1962)
*
Nabih Al-Azma, Minister of Interior in Jordan (1925)
*
Yasser al-Azma, Actor
*
Yusuf al-'Azma
Yusuf al-Azma (, ; ALA-LC: ''Yūsuf al-ʻAẓmah''; 1883 – 24 July 1920) was a Syrian military officer and revolutionary figure who was the minister of war of the Arab Kingdom of Syria under the governments of prime ministers Rida al-Rikabi a ...
, Minister of War in Syria (1920)
[.]
*
Aziz al-Azmeh
*
Subhi Barakat, first
President of Syria
The president of Syria (), officially the president of the Syrian Arab Republic, is the head of state and head of government of Syria. The president directs the executive branch and serves as the commander-in-chief of the Syrian Army and Syrian ...
(1922–1925)
*
Burhan Asaf Belge, Turkish politician
*
Mardam Bey family:
**
Adnan Mardam Bey, lawyer, playwright and poet
**
Farouk Mardam-Bey, French librarian, historian and publisher
**
Ghada Mardam Bey, First program director on Syrian TV
**
Haydar Mardam Bey, diplomat
**
Jamil Mardam Bey
Jamil Mardam Bey (; ; 1895–1960), was a Syrian politician. He was born in Damascus to a prominent aristocratic family of Turkish origins. He is a descendant of the Ottoman general, statesman and Grand Vizier Lala Mustafa Pasha and the penulti ...
, Prime Minister of Syria (1936–1939)
[.]
**
Khaled Mardam-Bey,
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.
* British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...
software developer and creator of
mIRC
mIRC is an Internet Relay Chat (IRC) client for Windows with an integrated scripting language allowing the creation of extensions. The software was first released in 1995 and has since been described as "one of the most popular IRC clients avai ...
**
Khalil Mardam Bey, Composer of the
Syrian National Anthem
**
Rashid Pasha Mardam Bey, judge
**
Salma Mardam Bey, Writer
**
Sami Mardam-Bey, politician who was elected deputy and vice-president of the Syrian federation
*
Mohammed al-Bezm (
ar), Poet
*
Cemil Bilsel, Turkish politician and academic
*
Emin Bozoğlan, Second President of the Syrian Turkmen Assembly (2016–present)
*
Mehmed Fuad Carim, Turkish politician
*
Thanaa Debsi, Actress
*
Tharaa Debsi, Actress
*
Mohammad Emadi, Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade
*
Nadia al-Ghazzi, Lawyer, writer, TV presenter
[.]
*
Said al-Ghazzi, Prime Minister of Syria (in 1954 and 1955–56)
*
Sati' al-Husri, writer
*
Mennel Ibtissem, singer (contestant on
The Voice France)
*
Sami Sabit Karaman, General of the Turkish army
*
Khaled Khoja, President of the
Syrian National Coalition (2015–2016)
*
Mehmet Muhittin Kurtiş, Turkish soldier
*
Sanharib Malki, football player
*
Taqi ad-Din Muhammad ibn Ma'ruf,
Polymath
A polymath or polyhistor is an individual whose knowledge spans many different subjects, known to draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific problems. Polymaths often prefer a specific context in which to explain their knowledge, ...
*
Ghaith Mofeed, artist
*
Abdurrahman Mustafa, First President of the
Syrian Turkmen Assembly (2012–2016)
*
Huda Naamani, Feminist writer
*
Mustafa Naima, Ottoman historian
*
Ahmad Nami
"Al-Damad" Ahmad Nami or "Damat" Ahmet Nami (; 1873 – 13 December 1962) was an Ottoman prince ( damat), the prime minister of Syria and president of Syria (1926–28), and a lecturer of history and politics.
His first language was Turkish an ...
, second
President of Syria
The president of Syria (), officially the president of the Syrian Arab Republic, is the head of state and head of government of Syria. The president directs the executive branch and serves as the commander-in-chief of the Syrian Army and Syrian ...
(1926–1928)
and
Ottoman damat
*
Mahmud Kâmil Pasha, General of the Ottoman army
*
Zeki Pasha
Zeki Pasha İzzettin Çalışlar, ''On yıllık savaşın günlüğü: Balkan, Birinci Dünya ve İstiklal Savaşları'', Yapı Kredi Yayınları, 1997, (; 1862–1943), known as Mehmet Zeki Baraz Kolaç Kılıçoğlu after the 1934 Surname La ...
, Ottoman Turkish field marshal
*
Abu Khalil Qabbani, playwright and composer
*
Nizar Qabbani, diplomat, poet and publisher
*
Sabah Qabbani, Ambassador of Syria to the United States (1974–1981)
**children:
**
Rana Kabbani, Syrian cultural historian
*
Shukri al-Quwatli
Shukri al-Quwatli (; 6 May 189130 June 1967) was a Syrian politician and statesman who was the first president of post-independence Syria, in 1943.
He began his career as a dissident working towards the independence and unity of the Ottoman Em ...
, First president of post-independence Syria (1943–1949) and (1955–1958).
*
Aliye Rona
Aliye Rona (née Dilligil; 14 October 1920 – 27 August 1996) was a Turkish film actress starring in more than 130 movies, mostly of drama and romance genre, from 1947 until her death.
She was born in Daraa, French Mandate for Syria and the L ...
, Turkish actress
*
Reşit Ronabar, Ottoman governor and Turkish politician
*
Suleyman Shah
*
Hala Shawkat, Actress
*
Adib Shishakli, Prime Minister and President of Syria (1953–1954)
*
Talal Silo, former
Syrian Democratic Forces
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is a Kurds in Syria, Kurdish-led coalition of U.S.-backed Left-wing politics, left-wing ethnic militias and rebel groups, and serves as the official military wing of the Democratic Autonomous Administration ...
spokesperson.
*
Adil Şan
Adil Şan (born September 12, 1980) is a Syrian and Turkey, Turkish singer and poet. He represented Syria in the Turkvision Song Contest 2015 in Istanbul, Turkey, with the song "''Geliş''", where he was placed 5th with 165 points. Şan's song ...
, Singer
*
Mehmet Şandır (
tr), Turkish politician
*
Pakize Tarzi, Turkey's first female gynaecologist
*
Mustafa Tlass
Mustafa Abdul Qadir Tlass (; 11 May 1932 – 27 June 2017) was a Syrian military officer, author, historian and politician who was Ba'athist Syria's minister of defense from 1972 to 2004. He was part of the four-member Regional Command during th ...
, Syrian Minister of Defense in (1972–2004)
**children:
**
Manaf Tlass, former Brigadier General
**
Firas Tlass, business tycoon
*
Hasan Turkmani, Minister of Defense (2004–2009)
**children:
** Bilal Turkmani, owner of the Syrian weekly ''
Abyad wa Aswad''
*Rim Turkmani, astrophysicist
*
Refi Cevat Ulunay (
tr), Turkish writer
*Suat Hayri Ürgüplü, Prime Minister of Turkey (1965)
*Necdet Yılmaz (:tr:Necdet Yılmaz, tr), Turkish politician
*Husni al-Za'im, President of Syria (1949)
*Muhammed Habes, Jarabulus Civilian Council President (since August 2016)
*Ahmed Othman, Old Syrian Arab Army, SAA colonel, leader of
Sultan Murad Division
The Sultan Murad Division (; ''Firqat al-Sultan Murad''; ) is a Syrian Turkmen rebel group fighting in the Syrian Civil War. It is aligned with the Syrian Interim Government and heavily supported by Turkey, who provides funding and military t ...
since 2013
*Nur ad-Din (died 1174), Nur ad-Din Zengi, a member of the Turkish
Zengid dynasty
The Zengid or Zangid dynasty, also referred to as the Atabegate of Mosul, Aleppo and Damascus (Arabic: أتابكة الموصل وحلب ودمشق), or the Zengid State (Old Anatolian Turkish: , Modern Turkish: ; ) was initially an '' Atabegat ...
which ruled the
Syria
Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
n province of the
Seljuk Empire
The Seljuk Empire, or the Great Seljuk Empire, was a High Middle Ages, high medieval, culturally Turco-Persian tradition, Turco-Persian, Sunni Islam, Sunni Muslim empire, established and ruled by the Qiniq (tribe), Qïnïq branch of Oghuz Turks. ...
.
*Imad ad-Din Zengi, a Turkish atabeg who ruled Emir of Mosul, Mosul, Emirate of Aleppo, Aleppo,
Hama
Hama ( ', ) is a city on the banks of the Orontes River in west-central Syria. It is located north of Damascus and north of Homs. It is the provincial capital of the Hama Governorate. With a population of 996,000 (2023 census), Hama is one o ...
, and Edessa, Mesopotamia, Edessa. He was the namesake of the
Zengid dynasty
The Zengid or Zangid dynasty, also referred to as the Atabegate of Mosul, Aleppo and Damascus (Arabic: أتابكة الموصل وحلب ودمشق), or the Zengid State (Old Anatolian Turkish: , Modern Turkish: ; ) was initially an '' Atabegat ...
.
*Tutush I,
Seljuk Seljuk (, ''Selcuk'') or Saljuq (, ''Saljūq'') may refer to:
* Seljuk Empire (1051–1153), a medieval empire in the Middle East and central Asia
* Seljuk dynasty (c. 950–1307), the ruling dynasty of the Seljuk Empire and subsequent polities
* S ...
Emir of
Damascus
Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...
.
*Aq Sunqur al-Hajib, Seljuk empire, Seljuk governor of
Aleppo
Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Governorates of Syria, governorate of Syria. With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents it is Syria's largest city by urban area, and ...
.
See also
* List of armed groups in the Syrian Civil War
**Syrian Democratic Turkmen Movement
**Syria Turkmen Bloc
* Syria–Turkey relations
** Hatay Province
** Tomb of Suleyman Shah
* Turkish military intervention in Syria (August 2016 – March 2017), Turkish military intervention in Syria
** Northern al-Bab offensive (2016)
** Battle of al-Rai (August 2016)
*Turkish minorities in the former Ottoman Empire
** Turks in the Arab world
***
Iraqi Turkmen
The Iraqi Turkmen (, عراق تورکمنلری; Arabic: تركمان العراق), also referred to as Iraqi Turks, (, عراق توركلری; ) are the third largest ethnic group in Iraq. They make up to 10%–13% of the Iraqi population. I ...
***Turks in Lebanon
***Turks in Egypt
*Arabs in Turkey
Notes
References
Bibliography
*
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*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
{{Demographics of Syria
Syrian Turkmens,
Ethnic groups in Syria
Turkic peoples of Asia