  meskhetian turks also known as meskheti turks, and akhaltsikhe / ahiska turks (; , t'urk'i meskhebi) are the ethnic turks formerly inhabiting the meskheti region of georgia, along the border with turkey. the turkish presence in meskhetia began with the ottoman invasion of 1578,. although turkic tribes had settled in the region as early as the eleventh and twelfth centuries. today, the meskhetian turks are widely dispersed throughout the former soviet union (as well as in turkey and the united states) due to forced deportations during world war ii. at the time, the soviet union was preparing to launch a pressure campaign against turkey and joseph stalin wanted to clear the strategic turkish population in meskheti who were likely to be hostile to soviet intentions.{{harvnb|
Ethnic_groups_in_Azerbaijan Ethnic_groups_in_Georgia_(country) Ethnic_groups_in_Russia Ethnic_groups_in_the_United_States Islam_in_Georgia_(country) Meskhetian_Turkish_people Muslim_communities_of_Russia Peoples_of_the_Caucasus Turkish_communities_outside_Turkey Turkish_diaspora