Even though 82 years have passed since Hatay joined Turkish territory, the Assad regime has not yet rescinded its claims on the southern province that was part of the French Mandate once upon a time.
In a recent document published by the People's Assembly of Syria, Syrian President Bashar Assad made his intentions clear as he once more set his sights on the border province, with the bulletin claiming that Hatay is Syrian territory, according to various Turkish news outlets.
The document stated that Syria would do “everything in its power to get back Hatay, and prevent it from remaining in Turkey’s hands,” alleging that the French mandate of the period offered Hatay up as a bribe to form an alliance with Turkey during the Second World War.
Hatay, or Liwa Iskanderoun in Arabic, joined Turkish territory in 1939 following a referendum, however, Syria continues to include the province in its official maps.
