New appointment from the Ministry of National Defense following a shock resignation in the TSK! Was he sidelined?

The command structure of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) was changed during the Supreme Military Council (YAŞ) meeting held on August 5. While Chief of General Staff Metin Gürak was retired due to a lack of available positions, Land Forces Commander General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu was appointed in his place.

KEMAL YENİ RESIGNED

With a Presidential decree published in the Official Gazette on August 14, 2nd Chief of General Staff Kemal Yeni had been appointed as the 3rd Army Commander. According to a report by T24, Kemal Yeni was dissatisfied with the appointment of Levent Ergün, who is more junior than him, as the 2nd Chief of General Staff, and subsequently submitted his retirement request.

Following the submission of Kemal Yeni's resignation letter, the Ministry of National Defense announced that the 3rd Army Command position had been transferred to Major General Tuncay Altuğ.

WAS HE SIDELINED?

According to a report by Cumhuriyet, military sources stated that the chain of appointments within the TSK may have played a role in Kemal Yeni's resignation. Chief of General Staff Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu had been appointed sequentially to the positions of 2nd Chief of General Staff, Land Forces Commander, and subsequently Chief of General Staff.

Kemal Yeni, however, was shifted during the same process from the position of 2nd Chief of General Staff not to the Land Forces Command, but to an Army Command.

While sources stated that this situation was an indication that Yeni had been "sidelined," they also suggested that this development might be the background behind his decision to resign.

News Source: 12punto