ANKARA
Türkiye on Thursday announced decisions taken by the annual Supreme Military Council meeting chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Following the closed-door meeting in the capital Ankara, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told reporters that the term of Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Guler was extended for another year upon Erdogan’s approval.
He added that Naval Forces Commander Adm. Adnan Ozbal and Air Force Commander Gen. Hasan Kucukakyuz will retire, and Adm. Ercument Tatlioglu was appointed to the Naval Forces Command, and Combat Air Force Commander Gen. Atilla Gulan to the Air Force Command.
Kalin said 16 generals and admirals are being promoted to the next ranks and 47 colonels to generals or admirals effective Aug. 30.
As of that date, the number of generals and admirals in the Turkish Armed Forces will rise from 264 to 273, he added.
Before the meeting, the council members visited Anitkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of the Turkish Republic.
Erdogan wrote in the mausoleum’s memorial book that Türkiye continues to rise as an icon of stability and trust in its region at a critical time, adding: “Outstanding achievements on various fronts, from counter-terrorism to cross-border operations, clearly demonstrate the strength, effectiveness, and capabilities of the Turkish Armed Forces.”
The meeting, which sets the agenda for Türkiye’s military and typically deals with promotions, dismissals, and other staffing decisions, lasted one hour.
Among the top officials attending the meeting are Vice President Fuat Oktay, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, Treasury and Finance Minister Nureddin Nebati, Education Minister Mahmut Ozer, Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Guler, Land Forces Commander Musa Avsever, Naval Forces Commander Adnan Ozbal, and Air Forces Commander Hasan Kucukakyuz.
