Turkey’s defense ministry has dismissed four military personnel, including regiment and battalion commanders, over the deaths of two conscripts who succumbed to extreme heat during training in the southern province of Hatay in July, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.
Eight others have received various disciplinary punishments, according to an official statement from the ministry on Thursday.
The soldiers, identified as 29-year-old Semih Erdoğan and Hayrullah Halit Karaman, were doing their compulsory military service at the İskenderun Naval Recruit Training Regiment when they fell ill on July 25. According to initial autopsy reports, both men died from “multi-organ failure due to a dehydration-induced electrolyte imbalance.”
The ministry said the High Disciplinary Board had concluded proceedings involving individuals found to have been negligent or exhibited fault or intent in the incident.
“Four personnel, including the regiment and battalion commanders, have been dismissed from the Turkish Armed Forces, and eight personnel have received disciplinary punishments according to their degree of fault,” the statement said.
The decision formally expels the senior officers directly responsible for the unit where the deaths occurred, making it one of the most serious disciplinary actions taken by the military in recent years.
The July 25 incident, which also left five other soldiers hospitalized, sparked public debate and scrutiny from opposition lawmakers, who accused the military of negligence, inadequate medical supervision and mismanagement of training during dangerous heat conditions.
Dehydration, especially in extreme conditions, can lead to confusion, elevated heart rate and eventual organ failure if left untreated. The incident has raised broader concerns about military training standards in Turkey’s summer heat, particularly in southern provinces like Hatay, where temperatures often exceed 40°C (104°F).