Türkiye’s top military council to discuss new appointments in TSK

The Supreme Military Council (YAŞ) will gather this week under the chairpersonship of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to discuss new promotions and appointments within the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK).

It is also expected that Erdoğan will announce the name for the post of Chief of General Staff.

Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, Education Minister Yusuf Tekin, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, interim Chief of General Staff and head of the TSK’s Land Forces Musa Avsever, Naval Forces Commander Adm. Ercüment Tatlıoğlu and Air Forces Commander Atilla Gülan will participate in the meeting, according to Anadolu Agency (AA).

As is the case every year, the YAŞ members will start their meeting after visiting Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of the Republic of Türkiye founder and first president, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

The promotion and assignment files of generals and admirals will be discussed, as well as the promotions of colonels and the extension of their terms of office.

One of the main topics expected to be on the agenda at YAŞ is the name to be appointed as the Chief of General Staff, which was vacated after Yaşar Güler became defense minister. Either Avsever or a new name is expected to be appointed to the post.

Among the names that could be the Chief of the General Staff are the 2nd Army Commander, Gen. Metin Gürak, the 1st Army Commander Gen. Ali Sivri and the 2nd Chief of the General Staff Gen. Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu.

All three being 1981 graduates of the Military Academy, Gürak was promoted to full general in 2020, Sivri and Bayraktaroğlu in 2021.

If Avsever is not appointed as the Chief of the General Staff, he is expected to retire due to the waiting period and age limit.

Within the scope of YAŞ decisions, some lieutenant generals will also be promoted to a higher rank. In this context, the 3rd Army Commander Lt. Gen. Yavuz Türkgenci, Aegean Army Commander Lt. Gen. Kemal Yeni, Land Forces Education and Doctrine Commander (EDOK) Commander Lt. Gen. Sinan Yayla, as well as the General Director of Defense and Security of the Defense Ministry Lt. Gen. Irfan Özsert and Air Training Commander Lt. Gen. Ismail Güneykaya are in line for promotion.