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Turkish sergeant stationed in Bosnia dismissed for sexual grooming: defense ministry

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A Turkish sergeant stationed in Bosnia and Herzegovina was dismissed from the Turkish Armed Forces after being captured on video by anti-pedophilia vigilantes while apparently attempting to meet with a 15-year-old girl, Turkish media outlets reported, citing a statement from the defense ministry.

According to Turkish media reports, in a weekly briefing, defense ministry officials confirmed the authenticity of video footage circulating on social media showing Tank Specialist Sergeant Ümit Kökçıkaran pleading with members of an informal Bosnian anti-pedophilia group called “Freedom Panther” in the park and introducing himself as a Turkish NATO service member.

The group alleges that Kökçıkaran attempted to meet with a minor girl, which resulted in his subsequent public exposure.

According to reports citing the Turkish defense ministry, Kökçıkaran’s temporary assignment in Bosnia was terminated on October 28, followed by the cancellation of his military contract on November 4, severing his affiliation with the Turkish army.

“Unfortunately, the footage on social media is accurate,” a ministry statement reportedly said. “Tank Specialist Sergeant Ümit Kökçıkaran’s temporary assignment abroad was terminated on October 28, 2024 and his contract was subsequently canceled, officially ending his association with the armed forces.”

Additionally, judicial proceedings have apparently been initiated against Kökçıkaran and a criminal complaint has been filed with the public prosecutor’s office, according to reports.

This incident is the latest in a series of scandals that have recently rocked the Turkish Armed Forces. Numerous soldiers and officers have been accused of criminal activities at home and abroad.

Beyond individual incidents, these accusations include allegations of people smuggling and misconduct against civilians.

In the Kurdish-majority areas of Turkey, Turkish soldiers — especially those with a lower rank, such as sergeant — have been accused of rape and other forms of sexual misconduct as well as additional offenses. Local rights organizations and advocacy groups have documented several cases in which victims claim to have been abused by Turkish military personnel during security operations in southeastern Turkey. These allegations come on top of a long list of complaints filed by civilians in these regions, fueling tensions and highlighting concerns about impunity within the ranks of the military.

The Turkish military also faces persistent allegations of war crimes during its advances in northern Syria, where Turkish troops have been conducting operations since 2016.

Turkey has established direct control over swaths of land in northern Syria through successive offensives against the People’s Protection Units (YPG) since 2018. The YPG, a Syrian Kurdish armed group that played a crucial role in the coalition task force set up to defeat the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, is viewed by Ankara as an offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party and thus also a terrorist organization.

Rights groups and organizations that monitor the region have accused Turkish soldiers and Turkish-backed rebels of committing war crimes against the local population during cross-border offensives.

Critics link the rise in criminal activity involving Turkish military personnel to the sweeping purges that followed the failed 2016 coup, in which thousands of experienced officers were dismissed and the ranks subsequently filled with nationalist and pro-government elements emboldened by perceived impunity.

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