ISTANBUL — The Turkish Army sent armored troops deep into Syria late Saturday to recover the remains of a major historical figure and to evacuate the guards at his besieged tomb, the prime minister announced in a televised news conference on Sunday.

The tomb of Suleyman Shah, grandfather of the founder of the Ottoman Empire, is 20 miles south of the Turkish border, but it has been considered Turkish territory under a 1921 treaty with France, which ruled Syria at that time. Fighters from the Islamic State extremist group have controlled the surrounding area and have kept the Turkish soldiers there trapped for months, although they did not assault the tomb.

The prime minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, said there were no clashes during the mission and only one casualty, a soldier who was killed in an accident.

He said Turkey notified the Syrian government, rebel leaders and the coalition forces fighting the Islamic State about the operation. It appeared to be Turkey’s first significant ground incursion into Syria since the civil war there began almost four years ago.