The 'Ring of Fire' in the Aegean Sea is unveiled for the first time in its 30th year: 'Kardak Operation in its 30th Year' book released
Journalist and author Gökhan Karakaş has released his book titled "Kardak Operation in its 30th Year – The Ring of Fire in the Aegean Sea" on the 30th anniversary of the Kardak Crisis in the Aegean. The foreword of the book was written by retired Rear Admiral Cem Gürdeniz and retired Naval Staff Colonel Ali Türkşen, who played an active role as the team commander of the SAT Commandos who planted the Turkish flag on the Kardak rocks.
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On the 30th anniversary of the Kardak Crisis, which occurred in the Aegean Sea in 1996 and led to serious tension between Turkey and Greece, journalist Gökhan Karakaş has penned a remarkable book. The book examines the military dimension of the crisis as well as the diplomatic processes and decision-making mechanisms in detail.
In his work, Karakaş brings together archival documents and field research to convey the process in which the navies of the two countries faced off during the days the crisis escalated, as well as the diplomatic initiatives carried out during this period.
Karakaş describes the events that took place in the final days of January 1996 with these words:
"On January 30-31, 1996, the language of diplomacy had been exhausted, and a military operation had become mandatory. 14 warships belonging to the two countries were locked onto each other with similar weapons. The fact that the Turkish SAT team hoisted the Turkish flag despite the ambitious electronic and physical measures taken by the Greek side went down in history as a definitive Turkish victory."
REVELATIONS ABOUT THE CRISIS
One of the prominent sections of the book is the account of Dursun Sarı, the captain of the M/V Figen Akat ship mentioned at the beginning of the crisis, who tells his experiences for the first time after 30 years. Karakaş uses the following expressions regarding this section:
“Captain Dursun Sarı telling about that night for the first time became the supporting element of the book. Details such as what happened in the command echelon of TCG Yavuz, the flagship of the 7-ship Turkish flotilla, the 'Indian dance' performed by high-speed assault boats, the deception operation carried out by helicopters from the air, the flawless operation of the SAT team, the multiplier effect of the support provided by coast guard elements to the navy, the Turkish submarine waiting for its prey silently and deeply, and the invitation of the helicopter that crashed, killing 3 Greek soldiers, to the Turkish warship before it fell, will meet the reader with an exciting flow.”
30TH YEAR REUNION
Some of the soldiers who participated in the Kardak operation are planning to meet in Bodrum for the 30th anniversary of the crisis. In the forewords of the book, retired Admiral Cem Gürdeniz and retired Naval Staff Colonel Ali Türkşen provide evaluations regarding the military and strategic dimensions of the crisis.