Two U.S. service members were attacked in western Turkey Monday – as video circulated online purportedly showing a soldier swarmed by a group of men who placed a hood over his head.
The U.S. Embassy in Turkey confirmed that two service members were victims of an assault in Izmir and are now safe. They had been aboard the USS Wasp, which had arrived in the port city after completing a training at sea.
The Izmir governor’s office told Reuters that members of the Turkey Youth Union (TBG), a youth branch of the nationalist opposition Vatan Party, ‘physically attacked’ two U.S. soldiers dressed in civilian clothes in the Konak district.
It added that five U.S. soldiers joined in after seeing the incident, and that police intervened. All 15 attackers had been detained and an investigation was launched.
Multiple videos of the chaotic scene – including one posted by TBG – show an unidentified man being surrounded by a group who appear to be restraining him on a bustling street.
The group can be heard chanting ‘Yankee, go home!’ as the put a hood over the man’s head
Multiple videos of the chaotic scene show an unidentified man being surrounded by a group who appear to be restraining him
U.S. officials have yet to confirm if the video shows the same assault that the U.S. Embassy confirmed
The group can be heard chanting ‘Yankee, go home!’ as they put a hood over the man’s head.
‘WE PUT SACKS ON THE US SOLDIERS SERVING ON THE LARGEST ATTACK SHIP OF THE USA, USS WASP!,’ the group said in the post.
‘US soldiers, who carry the blood of our soldiers and thousands of Palestinians on their hands, cannot defile our country.
‘Every time you step into these lands, we will welcome you as you deserve!’
U.S. officials have yet to confirm if the video shows the same assault confirmed by the U.S. Embassy.
‘We thank Turkish authorities for their rapid response and ongoing investigation,’ the U.S. Embassy said in a post on X.
The USS Wasp is on a scheduled deployment to the Naval Forces Europe-Africa area to support the U.S. and its allies and continue promoting regional stability and deterring aggression, according to the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service.
The service members are from the USS Wasp (pictured in Cyprus) – an amphibious assault ship docked in Izmir for a regularly scheduled port visit
The U.S. military has increased its presence in the Mediterranean Sea amid rising tensions in the Middle East over the war is Gaza.
Israel has been brought to a standstill due to a nationwide general strike after the country erupted with protests over Benjamin Netanyahu’s failure to secure a hostage release deal with Hamas.
The strike action was called after the bodies of six hostages – including Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin – who were snatched during the October 7 massacre were found in a Gaza tunnel on Saturday.