U.S. Embassy in Ankara/AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici
A nationalist Turkish youth group attacked two U.S. troops in western Turkey on Monday, the U.S. Embassy in Turkey and the local governor's office said, adding that 15 attackers had been detained in connection with the incident, Reuters reported.
A statement from the Izmir governor's office said members of the Turkish Youth Union (TGB), the youth wing of the nationalist opposition Vatan Party, “physically attacked” the men. on two U.S. service members dressed in civilian clothes in the Konak district.
The report said that five U.S. service members joined the scuffle after seeing the incident, and that police intervened. All 15 attackers have been detained and an investigation is underway, the report said.
The U.S. Embassy in Turkey confirmed the attack and said on the X media platform that the U.S. service members were safe.
“We can confirm reports that U.S. service members aboard the USS Wasp were attacked in Izmir today and are now safe,” – the statement said.
Earlier, TGB posted a video on X showing the group holding a man down on the street and putting a white hood over his head while shouting slogans.
The group said the man was a soldier aboard a US Wasp-class amphibious assault ship. Earlier on Monday, the US Embassy in Ankara said the ship was making a port visit to the Aegean coastal city of Izmir this week.
Prepared by: Sergey Daga