Rear admiral known with anti-Gülen stance resigns after being demoted by Erdoğan
Chief of Staff of the Turkish Navy Rear Admiral Cihat Yaycı, who is known with his stance against the movement of the U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen, resigned on May 18, two days after he was demoted by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Yaycı is also known as the architect of the maritime deal signed between Ankara and Tripoli.
Duvar English
A rear admiral known with his stance against the movement of the U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen has resigned days after being demoted by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Chief of Staff of the Turkish Navy Rear Admiral Cihat Yaycı announced his resignation on May 18, two days after he was assigned to the Turkish General Staff.
Yaycı, who is also known as the architect of a maritime deal between Ankara and the internationally-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) in Libya, reportedly said that he was hurt by the demotion.
The rear admiral is also the figure who coined the term "The Blue Homeland Theory," which envisages Ankara's sovereignty stretching across half the East Mediterranean. That vision clashes with the exclusive economic zones of Greece and Cyprus.
Erdoğan's decision to demote Yaycı came as a surprise, since he was strictly against the Gülenists in the army.
Yaycı was alongside Erdoğan during the July 15, 2016 failed coup attempt, widely believed to have orchestrated by Gülenists, whose official name is the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ).
The rear admiral introduced a practice dubbed "FETÖMETER" in the Naval Forces to determine Gülen sympathizers.
Erdoğan's decision was also met with surprise by pro-government columnist Nedim Şener, who said that Yaycı is the target of Gülenists in the army, adding that his demotion was secured with false claims of tender rigging.