Turkey Arrests 15 Members of Nationalist Youth Group Accused of Attacking Two American Soldiers

Turkish officials announced on Monday that 15 members of a nationalist youth group accused of attacking two American soldiers in the city of Izmir in western Turkey have been arrested. The detainees are members of a group known as the 'Union of Turkish Youth,' which is strongly anti-American and has previously carried out attacks against American military personnel. Turkey is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), of which the United States is the most significant member. According to Agence France-Presse, the American sailors were part of the crew of a U.S. military ship that has been docked in Izmir since early September. On the social media platform X, the U.S. Embassy in Turkey confirmed the attack, stating that the victims are safe and thanked Ankara for what it called a 'swift response and ongoing investigations.' U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby expressed that the United States is 'very upset by this attack' and appreciates that Turkish police are 'holding those responsible accountable.' The group known as the 'Union of Turkish Youth' claimed responsibility for the attack, posting a video on social media showing several assailants placing a bag over the head of a person in civilian clothing, while shouting in English, 'Yankee go home!' According to Agence France-Presse, the group wrote in this post on their X account, 'American soldiers who carry the blood of our soldiers and thousands of Palestinians on their hands cannot pollute our country.' In 2014, dozens of members of this group attacked three American sailors in central Istanbul, throwing red paint at them and attempting to forcibly place white sacks on their heads as hats. Twelve of them were released without interrogation or charges. The group claims to be loyal to the principles of modern Turkey's founder, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and strongly opposes the ruling Islamic-rooted party of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. In addition to its anti-American stance, the group is also against Turkey's efforts to join the European Union.