Turkey to convene supreme council to name top military brass

ANKARA

Turkey will convene its Supreme Military Council (YAŞ) on Aug. 4, where decisions will be taken to name top military brass.

The YAŞ is convened every year to discuss promotions and dismissals of the high-ranking military personnel under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and with the participation of key civilian and military officials.

In this year’s council, a decision will be taken regarding the situation of Air Forces Commander General Hasan Küçükakyüz and Naval Forces Commander Admiral Adnan Özbal, whose terms of office were extended in 2020 for one year each, as well as Land Forces Commander General Ümit Dündar, who reached the working age limit this year, daily Milliyet reported.

In the case of Dündar’s retirement, the name of 1st Army Commander General Musa Avsever is among those mentioned for the Land Forces Command.

Combat Air Force Commander General Atilla Gülan in the Air Force Command and Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu, the Navy Commander in the Naval Forces Command, are the two names that stand out as commanders in case of a change in the command of these two forces.

Council members, including Vice President Fuat Oktay, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gül, Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu, Treasury and Finance Minister Lütfi Elvan, Education Minister Ziya Selçuk, Chief of General Staff Yaşar Güler, Commander of Land Forces General Ümit Dündar, Marine Commander of the Turkish Air Forces, Admiral Adnan Özbal and Air Forces Commander, General Hasan Küçükakyüz, will also attend the council meeting.