It's true. He's Arab heritage, and he is a Nusayri, too, making him a member of the same sect of Bashar Al Assad's family.
These people are commonly known as 'Arap Alevîleri' in Turkiye and they usually are hard-core Kemalists and Turkish nationalists which is why I laugh every time an Arab nationalist claims Hatay or other parts of Southern Turkiye. Most Turks of Arab origin would spit on them. These days they emphasise their Turkishness particularly to set a boundary between them and the Syrian refugees which they despise.
Türkiye is an ethno-centric state. Due to the PKK terrorism, most foreigners assume that minorities are not well integrated into the Turkish mainstream society which is a false interpretation. Most minorities are irreversibly absorbed by the Turkish majority - thanks to Allah.
