Two US soldiers attacked in Turkey over 'Gaza genocide'

Members of a Turkish anti-American nationalist group attacked two US soldiers in the western city of Izmir for the alleged role of the American military in the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza.

Following the incident, Turkish authorities detained 15 members of the radical group Turkish Youth Union (TGB) for assaulting the US military personnel on Monday.

A video of the attack surfaced on social media, showing a group of men forcibly restraining two US soldiers in civilian clothes, while several onlookers stood by watching.

The attackers chanted “Yankee Go Home” and pulled a bag over the soldier's head.

One of the attackers waved a TGB flag bearing the picture of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey.

"American soldiers who have the blood of our soldiers and thousands of Palestinians on their hands cannot defile our country," the Turkish nationalist group wrote in a post on X.

ABD'NİN EN BÜYÜK TAARRUZ GEMİSİ USS WASP'TA GÖREVLİ ABD ASKERLERİNE ÇUVAL GEÇİRDİK!

Mehmetçiğimizin ve binlerce Filistinlinin kanını elinde taşıyan ABD askerleri ülkemizi kirletemez.

Bu topraklara her adım attığınızda sizi hak ettiğiniz gibi karşılayacağız!
@USEmbassyTurkey… pic.twitter.com/Brzr6KZP8m

— TGB (@genclikbirligi) September 2, 2024

“We can confirm reports that US service members embarked aboard the USS Wasp were the victims of an assault in İzmir today and are now safe,” the US embassy in Turkey stated on X.

“We thank Turkish authorities for their rapid response and ongoing investigation,” it added.

USS Wasp’te görevli ABD’li askeri personelin bugün İzmir’de saldırıya maruz kaldığını ve şu an güvende olduğunu teyit ederiz. Olaya hızlı müdahale etmelerinden ve olayla ilgili soruşturma başlatmalarından dolayı Türk makamlarına teşekkür ederiz.

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We can confirm reports that…

— U.S. Embassy Türkiye (@USEmbTurkiye) September 2, 2024

The US soldiers were engaged in joint training exercises with Turkish vessels in the Mediterranean and had arrived in Izmir after the USS Wasp docked in the city.

The joint military exercise faced criticism in the Turkish media, as the presence of the American assault ship was perceived as a sign of US support for Israel.