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Two US service members have been assaulted by an anti-American youth group in Turkey, officials confirmed on Monday.
The service members were aboard the USS Wasp and attacked in the coastal city of İzmir, where the vessel had docked. The US Embassy in Ankara confirmed in a post to X that the service members were now safe. There were no reported injuries to the Americans.
“We thank Turkish authorities for their rapid response and ongoing investigation,” the embassy said in a statement.
The local governor’s office confirmed news of the attack, also in a statement posted to X.
“A group of 15 people, two women and 13 men, members of the Turkish Youth Union (TGB), physically attacked two US military personnel in civilian clothes,” the governor’s office stated.
According to the post, five plain clothes police officers saw the incident from a distance and got involved. Fifteen suspects have been taken into custody and a judicial investigation has begun over the matter.
The USS Wasp in İzmir, Turkey during a scheduled port visit on September 1. Two US service members were attacked in the city during the visit (Seaman Apprentice Soren Quinata/ US Navy)
The TGB is a national youth and student group with anti-imperialist ideals. The group is tied to a nationalist political party in Turkey called the “Vatan Party.”
The USS Wasp arrived in İzmir for a scheduled port visit, the US Department of Defense said, signifying deep defense cooperation between the two countries.
As part of the visit, sailors were scheduled to participate in tours organized by the ship’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation team, including a visit to the Ephesus historical site, snorkeling and scuba diving.
“I have never been to Türkiye before so, as a fan of history, I am looking forward to discovering İzmir’s unique historical sites,” said Master Chief Electrician’s Mate Anthony Haywood, Wasp’s Maintenance and Material Management Coordinator, in a written statement before the excursion.
In November 2014, three US sailors were victims of a similar attack in Istanbul. The assault was videotaped and then posted to the internet. The sailors had been on leave from the USS Ross when about 20 people with the youth union began “verbally and physically assaulting the sailors.”
“We define you as murderers and killers and want you to get out of our land,” one youth group member told the sailors.
The service members were able to remove themselves from the situation without sustaining injuries. The US Embassy called the video of the assault “appalling.”
