OAN Staff Avril Elfi
Tuesday, September 2, 2024 12:34 PM
Two US Marines attacked in Turkey, 10 arrested.
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On Monday, the Izmir Criminal Court announced the arrest of 10 people accused of assaulting the marines.
The court said the reason for the arrests was “multiple deprivations of liberty” and that the other five would face trial without arrest.
A lawyer from the Turkish Youth Union, which represents those arrested, said all 10 would “appeal against the court's decision and ask for their arrests to be lifted” on Wednesday.
The Izmir governor said the US Marines, who were wearing plainclothes, were attacked by two women and 13 men from the Turkish Youth Union.
The Turkish Youth Union is a national youth and student organization that takes an anti-American and anti-imperialist stance. They are also linked to the Turkish nationalist party, the Vatan Party.
A video showing several people attacking two Marines and trying to put bags over their heads while yelling “Yankees, go home!” was posted to the group's website along with a link to join the group.
U.S. officials told reporters that U.S. troops docked in Izmir were being confined to the ship as a safety precaution.
The US Embassy in Turkey posted on Twitter after the incident, confirming that the Marines were safe and thanking Turkish authorities for their “swift response and ongoing investigation.”
“Five US soldiers in plain clothes witnessed the incident from a distance and intervened,” the Izmir governor said.
The 6th Fleet said the crew were assisted by other Marines nearby and then taken to a hospital for medical attention. No major injuries were found and the crew returned to the USS Wasp.
He also said no military personnel were in custody and that officials were cooperating with investigators in the incident.
The Turkish Youth Union has previously been accused of assaulting US service members. In 2014, three US service members on leave from the destroyer USS Ross, which was docked in Istanbul, were attacked by around 20 people posing as members of the coalition. A video of the incident was posted on the coalition's website at the time.
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