American sailors attacked by Turkish nationalists in Izmir confrontation

Scandalous scenes unfolded today (September 2) on the streets of Izmir, Turkey. Local nationalists attacked two American sailors from the USS Wasp (LHD-1) in broad daylight. The incident was reported by, among others, a blogger running the OSINTdefender profile.

In the videos available online, several men can be seen attacking the American sailors. Screams and insults can be heard. One of the Americans was held by two Turks. At one point, the attackers placed a plastic bag over the sailor's head.

Why did the attack occur? The first reports indicate it was a "revenge" for an incident between American and Turkish soldiers in the early 21st century.

The sailors were released shortly after the attack. They are currently safe. Fifteen people involved in the attack were arrested by the Turkish police, reports the U.S. embassy in Turkey.

Turkish nationalists are not peaceful toward American soldiers. Attacks on Americans occur quite regularly. In 2014, three sailors from the USS Ross were attacked. Similarly, in 2021, several crew members from the USS Mount Whitney were aggressively targeted.

The pretext for these attacks is the so-called "Hood Event," an incident from 2003 when American soldiers detained Turkish military personnel during the American invasion of Iraq. The Americans placed bags over the Turks' heads and took them for interrogation.

The mistake by U.S. soldiers sparked outrage among Turkish nationalists. The mistake resulted from intelligence data. The Americans believed that individuals planning to assassinate the Iraqi-Kurdish governor of Kirkuk were hiding in the Turkish house.

The U.S. and Turkey expressed regret about the incident. The Turkish soldiers were released from detention after 60 hours. The event significantly impacted relations between the United States and Turkey.