High-ranking Turkish general demoted for failure to attend meeting?

One of the two Turkish generals who were dismissed on Monday from their positions by a decree law authorised by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was demoted due to his failure to attend a high-level meeting, pro-government NTV news reported.

Ismail Metin Temel, who is one of the generals demoted as they were brought to the presidency of Department of Evaluation and Inspection Division of the Turkish General Staff, was tasked as a general in the southeastern city of Malatya.

He was dismissed by the president due to his failure to attend an evaluation meeting on Dec. 14-15, NTV said.

Temel was the commander who oversaw the Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch operations. As a commander of the Second Army, he was also responsible of protecting Turkey’s borders with Syria, Iraq and Iran. His predecessor as commander of the Second Army was Gen. Adem Huduti, who was arrested for participating int the July 2016 coup attempt.

Another allegation regarding Temel’s demotion came from opposition news site Oda TV, which said the general was reassigned due to his disagreement with the Chief of General Staff, Yaşar Güler, since the coup attempt of 2016. In the same piece, Müyesser Yıldız, a journalist who specialises in military affairs, said current Defence Minister and former Chief of General Staff Hulusi Akar also sided with Güler against Temel after Güler reportedly said Akar had to make a choice between himself and Temel.

Temel is known with his support for Erdoğan. During the presidential elections, opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) candidate Muharrem Ince slammed him for joining to the election meetings of Erdoğan and applauding the Turkish president for taking jabs at İnce.

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