A military headquarters used by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in World War I was discovered after the Turkish military liberated Syria's Afrin province from the PKK-linked People's Protection Units (YPG) terrorist group, according to officials.
In an interview with Anadolu Agency, Hatay Mustafa Kemal University history department professor Süleyman Hatipoğlu said that the mansion was converted into headquarters and used by Atatürk when he was the commander of the Seventh Army in World War I.
Atatürk was stationed in Syria during the late stages of World War I when the Ottoman Empire, which allied with the Central Powers, was struggling to control the Arab regions as the British Empire spread propaganda to provoke an Arab revolt.
The anticipated revolt did eventually happen, and British troops led by General Edmund Allenby won an overwhelming victory against Ottoman troops led by German General Liman von Sanders in the Battle of Megiddo. Atatürk was then appointed to Thunder Groups Command and managed to defeat General Allenby and the British troops.
According to the officials, the headquarters in question is the same site Atatürk used while planning the counterattack against General Allenby's offensive.
The mansion, built in 1890, is partially in ruins due to neglect.
