A mob of Turkish nationalists assaulted and ambushed two U.S. soldiers, shouting 'Yankee, go home!'

The Turkish youth group stated that U.S. soldiers cannot tarnish our country, referring to the Palestinian conflict.

A mob of Turkish nationalists assaulted and ambushed two U.S. soldiers, shouting 'Yankee, go home!'
A mob of Turkish nationalists assaulted and ambushed two U.S. soldiers, shouting 'Yankee, go home!'

On Monday, 15 people were arrested after a group of Turkish nationalists attacked U.S. soldiers in western Turkey.

The Youth Union of Turkey, linked to the nationalist Vatan Party, is responsible for the incident that occurred in Izmir, a city on Turkey's Aegean coast, according to a statement from the Izmir governor's office.

The governor stated that the soldiers on the USS Wasp were physically attacked by a group of anti-American men, as shown in a video posted on social media.

The video also depicts an assailant tossing a plastic sack onto the soldier's face while the crowd shouted, "Yankee Go Home!"

Split image of ship, Turkish flag
Soldiers assigned to the USS Wasp were attacked by Turkish nationalists, according to officials. (Getty Images/iStock)

All 15 attackers were arrested after five U.S. soldiers intervened in the incident.

On Monday, the U.S. Embassy in Turkey announced on social media that an incident occurred and that the soldiers involved are safe.

The embassy confirmed that U.S. service members aboard the USS Wasp were assaulted in İzmir today and are now safe.

USS Wasp
Crew members stand aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD-1) docked at Limassol Port, amid rising tensions in the Middle East, in Limassol, Cyprus, Sunday, August 11, 2024. (Danil Shamkin/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

"We thank Turkish authorities for their rapid response and ongoing investigation."

The Youth Union of Turkey considered the attack "justified" and condemned U.S. backing of Israel, according to a statement obtained by Reuters.

Turkish protesters
Members of the Youth Union of Turkey (TGB) gather outside the U.S. Embassy to protest envoys of 10 countries over remarks on the Osman Kavala case in Ankara, Turkey on October 25, 2021.  (Evrim Aydin/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

""Our country will not tolerate U.S. soldiers who have blood on their hands, including that of our soldiers and thousands of Palestinians. We will meet them with the same treatment they have given," the nationalists stated."

Reuters contributed to this report.

by Andrea Vacchiano

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