Notice Regarding Allegations of Inter-Core Collision of Kemals and Islamist officers in the Infantry School of the Turkish Army issued by the Ministry of Defense of Turkey.

The announcement is an attempt to respond to the complaints of Kemalist circles, but also of the president of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) Özgür Ozel regarding the way the Minister of Defense handled the refusal of three students to put a badge on the lapel of their uniform with the photo of Kemal Atatürk on November 10, the anniversary of his death, and the harsh reaction to it from four fellow Kemal students.

In its response, the Ministry of Defense focuses on the disciplinary dimension of the incident and not on the reason for the conflict or on the allegations of infiltration of Muslim Brotherhood cores into the Infantry School.

Kemalist circles particularly point to the fact that the same disciplinary and judicial treatment was reserved for the decried Islamic students and the declarant Kemals.

Specifically, in the announcement of the Ministry of Defense, it is stated that the foundation of the Turkish army and the military service is discipline: “As stated in Article 13 of the Law of Internal Operation of the Turkish Armed Forces, ‘discipline means absolute obedience to laws, orders and superiors and respect for the law of subordinates and superiors. The basis of military service is discipline.”

It is also noted that in the Turkish Armed Forces the priority is to maintain the established discipline and “there should not be the slightest doubt that no person, event or situation, which can shake the basic values, violate the discipline and disrupt or disturb the military hierarchy, will not be tolerated.”

“In the context of the relevant regulation, it is an element of discipline, during days of national remembrance and celebration, ceremonies and holidays, to behave in accordance with the content and significance of these days. Just as it is a breach of discipline to not comply with the regulations, it is also a breach of discipline to exceed the limits of duty, authority and authority or to interfere or behave in a criminal manner,” the Ministry of Defense said in a statement, citing the relevant legislation to justify the decision to suspend all military personnel involved in the case, including their commanders.

Yesterday, Tuesday, the chairman of the Kemalist CHP Ozgur Ozel made harsh statements on the matter, who lied to the Minister of Defense because he did not mention in his previous statements that the photo that the student lieutenants refused to wear on their lapels was of Kemal Atatürk. In a video post on Platform X he questioned whether the government had learned its lesson from the July 15, 2016 coup attempt and, referring to the defense minister himself, accused him of trying to justify the Islamist officers, stressing: “or will come to his senses or we will bring him to his senses”.