President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday warned a top Turkish general who played a key role in failed last year's failed coup and led a cross-border operation in Syria that he must accept a surprise demotion without rancour.
"There can be no such concept of disappointment in the military. Whatever task is assigned, a soldier goes and fulfils their duty there," Erdoğan said after Aksakallı was assigned as commander of the army's 2nd Corps, based on the Gallipoli peninsula in northwestern Turkey.
Lieutenant General Zekai Aksakallı had wanted to resign from the armed forces after he was moved from special forces chief to a less significant position. He was promoted to lieutenant general in a meeting of the first Supreme Military Council after the July 15, 2016, failed coup attempt, where his actions made him a figure of national prominence.
Up to 10 generals including the former special forces chief were ready to resign, according to reports. Turkish media speculated there may have been "discomfort" within the military over the general's public profile in running the Syria operation and the desire to replace him with a younger figure.
Aksakallı was a witness to the killing of anti-coup soldier Ömer Halisdemir, who has been idolized for his actions countering a raid on the Special Forces Command in Ankara on the night of last year's coup attempt. He said in his initial statement after the attempted putsch that he ordered Halisdemir to kill Semih Terzi, believed to be one of the top coup plotters.
Aksakallı was promoted to lieutenant general in a meeting of the first Supreme Military Council after the coup attempt, during which his actions made him a figure of national prominence.
