The coffin of a revered Turkish historical figure has been given a new resting place, after the country sent hundreds of soldiers into Syria to prise it from the grip of Islamic State militants. Soldiers re-interred the remains of Suleyman Shah, whose grandson Osman I founded the Ottoman Empire in the 12th Century, after yesterday evacuating it from Aleppo Province. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan today denied the move was a retreat, instead calling it 'a temporary move in order not to risk soldiers' lives,' after militants threatened to attack the tomb. Scroll down for video Solemn: Turkish soldiers stand to attention during a ceremony marking the relocation of the coffins brought from the Tomb of Suleyman Shah to a temporary position near Sanliurfa, south-east of Turkey
@highlight
Remains of Suleyman Shah re-interred at spot 200m from Turkish border
@highlight
Turkish President denies move is a retreat after criticism from opposition
@highlight
Syrian government denounces incursion as an act of 'flagrant aggression'
@highlight
Overnight operation saw 600 Turkish troops enter Syria near Kobane
@highlight
Some 40 troops have been guarding Ottoman tomb in Syria since 2012
@highlight
Operation saw the guard extracted, tomb destroyed and remains moved
@highlight
Shah was the grandfather of Osman I, founder of the Ottoman Empire
Syria
Syrian
Syria
Syria
Controversial: A digger works near a Turkish flag flying inside of @placeholder, at the new location for the tomb
Syria
Syrian
Syria
Syria
Nearly 600 Turkish soldiers and 100 armoured vehicles entered @placeholder to evacuate the crypt and the men guarding it, in an act Syria denounced as 'flagrant aggression'.
Turkish
Turkish
Turkish
Turkey
Turkish
Turkish
Turkish
A statement on Syrian television said the fact Islamic State militants had not attacked the tomb 'confirmed the depth of the ties between the @placeholder government and this terrorist organisation'.
Turkish
Turkish
Turkish
Turkey
Turkish
Turkish
Turkish
A second group took control of an area just 650 feet from the @placeholder border where authorities planned to move the tomb, Turkish media reported.
Syria
Syrian
Syria
Syria
In a hugely symbolic move, the troops also raised their flag over a new area of raised ground inside @placeholder but easily visible from the Turkish border.
Suleyman Shah
Suleyman Shah
Shah
Moving in: Turkish army vehicles drive through Kobane, during the operation to retrieve the garrison guarding the @placeholder mausoleum in northern Syria
Turkish
Turkish
Turkish
Turkey
Turkish
Turkish
Turkish
The location of the tomb was flooded in 1973 due to the building of a new dam, and @placeholder moved the mausoleum.