Two US Marines were attacked by a mob of Turkish nationalists during their port visit to Izmir, leading to the arrest of 15 people, according to the US Sixth Fleet.
A gang of two women and 13 men from the Turkish Youth Group attacked the Marines from the USS Wasp who were dressed in civilian clothes, the Izmir Governorship said in a post on X. The Turkish Youth Union is a nationwide youth and student organisation that is known for anti-American and anti-imperialist views. They are affiliated with the Turkish “Vatan Party,” a nationalist political party in Turkey. The group’s president was also arrested.
The organisation shared a video of Turkish nationalists attacking and throwing sacks over the heads of two US Marines, yelling “Yankee, go home.”
The video uploaded on X shows US Marines dressed in civilian attire shouting for help while being attacked by a mob of anti-American men.
Meanwhile, the Turkish Communist Party launched a demonstration in İzmir against the presence of the USS Wasp.
“We do not want the US ship that brought war and death to Palestine in Izmir,” the protesters said.
While some X users denounced the attack in which US Marines were “humiliated” as “disgusting”, other surprisingly said, “Yeah. This should happen everywhere.”
Izmir governor’s office issues statement as Youth Union of Turkey blasts US soldiers
The Izmir governor’s office reported that five more US Marines intervened after witnessing the assault.
In a post on X, the US Embassy in Turkey acknowledged the attack, informing that the military members were safe and thanking the Turkish authorities “for their rapid response and ongoing investigation.”
The Sixth Fleet stated that the two Marines were assisted by other Marines in the vicinity and rushed to a local hospital for assessment, but they were not wounded and returned to the USS Wasp safely.
Turkish authorities did not arrest any Marines and those involved in the incident cooperated with investigators, it said.
Local officials detained 15 individuals, according to the Izmir Governorship. Moreover, a judicial probe has been launched regarding the matter.
The US Marines arrived on USS Wasp in Izmir on Sunday for a “regularly scheduled port visit”, after a joint training exercise with the Turkish Naval Forces, the Department of Defense stated.
The Youth Union of Turkey issued a statement to Reuters and stated that the US Marines “deserved” the attack and denounced the United States’ support for Israel.
“US soldiers who carry the blood of our soldiers and thousands of Palestinians on their hands cannot dirty our country,” the group said. “Every time you step foot in these lands, we will meet you the way you deserve.”
