In Izmir, Turkey, two U.S. service members were assaulted by a group of local nationalists.
The U.S. Embassy in Turkey confirmed the incident and stated that the service members, stationed on the USS Wasp, are now safe after the confrontation on Monday.
The assault took place in Izmir’s busy Konak district, where members of the Turkey Youth Union (TBG), associated with the nationalist Vatan Party, reportedly physically attacked two American soldiers who were in civilian attire.
The altercation quickly involved five more U.S. soldiers who witnessed the attack before police intervened and detained all 15 attackers.
Local authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.
Videos circulating online, including one posted by TBG, show a chaotic scene where a man is surrounded and restrained by a group while chants of “Yankee, go home!” can be heard as they put a bagover his head.
🚨Thugs in Turkey abduct a sailor from the USS Wasp and put a bag over his head yelling “Yankee, go home”
When his fellow sailor tries to rescue him, they assault him
This is what Biden’s weakness has done to our military pic.twitter.com/EwmDyZXflb
— DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) September 2, 2024
The Turkish nationalist group TBG proudly took credit for the attack on social media, explicitly stating, “WE PUT SACKS ON THE US SOLDIERS SERVING ON THE LARGEST ATTACK SHIP OF THE USA, USS WASP!” They further justified their actions by accusing the U.S. soldiers of having “the blood of our soldiers and thousands of Palestinians on their hands,” and declared that U.S. soldiers would always be met with hostility on Turkish soil.
The U.S. Embassy has not confirmed whether the individuals in the video are the same as those reported in the assault but has expressed appreciation to Turkish authorities for their prompt response and ongoing investigation. In a post on X, the embassy conveyed its gratitude, stating, “We thank Turkish authorities for their rapid response and ongoing investigation.”
The USS Wasp is currently deployed in the Naval Forces Europe-Africa area as part of a scheduled mission to support U.S. efforts in promoting regional stability and deterring aggression.
This deployment comes at a time when the U.S. military has increased its presence in the Mediterranean due to escalating tensions in the Middle East, particularly related to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Tensions in the region are further exacerbated by internal strife within Israel, which has been paralyzed by a nationwide general strike.
The strike was prompted by public outrage over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s failure to negotiate a hostage release deal with Hamas.
This public discontent erupted after the tragic discovery of the bodies of six hostages, including Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who were killed during a massacre on October 7 and later found in a Gaza tunnel.
This assault on American servicemen highlights the complex and volatile nature of international relations in the region, reflecting broader geopolitical conflicts and intense emotions among local and international actors.
1 Comment
Turkey has become bad news. Increasingly hostile to Americans.
I was stationed in Istanbul and was attacked by four Turks intent on seriously harming me. I narrowly escaped.
The only reason Turkey remains in NATO is to get free weaponry, not because they feel aligned with us.