Erdogan says top general must accept ‘demotion’

ISTANBUL: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday warned a top Turkish general who played a key role in defeating last year’s failed coup and led a cross-border operation in Syria that he must accept a surprise demotion without rancour.

In a rare show of tension between the military and Erdogan, Turkish media reported that Lieutenant General Zekai Aksakalli had wanted to resign from the armed forces after he was moved from special forces chief to a less significant position.

“There can be no such concept of disappointment in the military. Whatever task is assigned, a soldier goes and fulfils their duty there,” Erdogan said after Aksakalli was assigned as commander of the army’s 2nd Corps, based on the Gallipoli peninsula in northwestern Turkey.

Up to 10 generals including the former special forces chief were ready to resign, Hurriyet daily reported on Monday. No reason has been given for the demotion.

Hurriyet speculated there may have been “discomfort” within the military over the general’s public profile in running the Syria operation and the desire to replace him with a younger figure.

Aksakalli led the Turkish military’s cross-border “Euphrates Shield” operation launched in August last year aimed at clearing the border zone in northern Syria of both Kurdish militia fighters and the IS extremist group.

“Right now, Zekai Aksakalli has completed his duty in the special forces,” Erdogan said, adding that the proposal came during a meeting of the nation’s top armed forces body on August 2.