Turkish Military Council sacks 18 officers..
Erdogan objected to plans by the military to sack these officers suspected of pro-Islamic leanings but was overruled by the staunchly secular military, daily Hurriyet reported over the weekend.
The daily Hurriyet said Erdogan and Gonul initially objected that sacked officers couldn’t appeal the generals’ ruling. But they were powerless to stop the decision and reluctantly conceded to the firings, Hurriyet said.
The reservation issue is interpreted as a sign of tension between Erdogan’s Islamic-rooted governing party and the country’s secular top brass.
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday received Chief of Staff Ozkok and Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul. Ozkok and Gonul presented the YAS decisions carrying government’s reservations on it, to the president.
With the YAS decisions, the chain of command in the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) has changed as well, retiring Navy, Air Force, 1st and 3rd Army Commanders and National Security Council (MGK) secretary general as of August 30.
Accordingly Navy Commander Vice Admiral Bulent Alpkaya will be replaced by Fleet Commander Ozden Ornek, Air Force Commander General Cumhur Asparuk by War Academies Commander General Ibrahim Firtina, 1st Army Commander General Cetin Dogan by Deputy Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit, 3rd Army Commander General Tamer Akbas by NATO Southeastern Europe Joint Commander General Oktar Ataman and MGK Secretary General Tuncer Kilinc by 5th Corps Commander General Sukru Sariisik as of August 30.
Chief of Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok, Land Forces Commander Aytac Yalman, Gendarmerie Commander Gen. Sener Eruygur, 2nd Army Commander Gen. Fevzi Turkeri and Aegean Army Commander Gen. Hursit Tolon will remain in office.
Gen. Fethi Remzi Tuncel will be appointed Land Forces Staff Commander, while Gen. Faruk Comert will be appointed War Academies Commander. Gen. Ilker Basbug will serve as Deputy Chief of Staff, while Admiral Yener Karahanoglu will be appointed Fleet Commander. General Orhan Yoney will take office as NATO Southeastern Europe Joint Commander.
The Supreme Military Council also promoted 32 generals and admirals to a higher rank while 46 colonels and captains to general and admiral positions. With the decisions, 54 admirals and generals retired while 44 remained in office for another year.
