Investigation into soldiers who provided water to village children in Hatay.

23.09.2025 13:50

Soldiers stationed in the border region of Hatay faced an investigation after they stopped to give water to children blocking their path while returning from a border outpost. In their statements, the soldiers explained that they provided water to the children for humanitarian reasons and were not punished. However, the non-commissioned officer responsible for the outpost's supply depot from which the water was taken received a penalty for "disobedience to orders" due to security negligence.

The "water distribution investigation" faced by the soldiers responsible for fuel supply at a border post in Altınözü district of Hatay at the beginning of summer involved village children. According to the investigation documents, soldiers on duty at the border unit supplied fuel from the border post with a military tanker on June 10, 2025. While returning, they passed through a village where the village children waved and shouted, blocking the vehicle's path upon seeing the military tanker. Responding to this interest, the soldiers got out of the vehicle and distributed bottled water they had taken from the post to the thirsty children suffering from the heat. However, at that moment, the company commander was passing through the same area and saw that water was being given to the children. The company commander, a second lieutenant, had the sergeants who gave water to the village children documented, and thus the "water distribution investigation" began.

COMMANDER SAW THEM WHILE THEY WERE STOPPED ON THE VILLAGE ROAD

According to the investigation documents, the sergeants on duty at the company command, which came to supply fuel to the Karbeyaz Border Post on the Syrian border in Hatay, requested water from the supply officer at the post. After taking bottled water from the responsible soldier and loading it onto the tanker, the sergeants encountered children asking for water near Yolağzı village and gave them some of the water. According to the report prepared by the company commander second lieutenant who witnessed the incident, when asked why they were waiting on the road and why they unloaded 5-6 boxes (35-40 bottles) of water, the sergeants initially replied, "The side doors were open, the waters fell." When it was said, "It doesn't look like it fell," they confessed that they unloaded the water to give it to the children.

DISCIPLINARY INVESTIGATION INITIATED

With this report, the 3rd Border Battalion Command initiated a disciplinary investigation on June 19, 2025, to investigate the incident. The disciplinary board consulted the information of the infantry private responsible for the post at the border, two sergeants in the military vehicle, the driver of the company commander second lieutenant, and two messengers. In the investigation, the soldiers on duty in the tanker were asked, "It has been determined that you attempted to give 5-6 boxes of water. Despite there being approximately 6-7 children in the group that set out, why did you unload 5-6 boxes (35-40 bottles) of water?" Additionally, they were asked whether they had previously distributed supplies to villagers in this manner. The soldiers' response was, "It was merely an act of compassion to give water because they were children." The sergeant who gave the water also stated, "I wanted to share the waters due to the sudden occurrence of the event and the fact that the individuals were children."

"FAILED TO OVERSEE THE SUPPLY OF MATERIALS FROM THE DEPOTS"

As a result of the disciplinary investigation, the non-commissioned officer on duty at the post on the day of the incident was penalized with a deduction from salary for the offense of "disobedience to orders," on the grounds that he "failed to oversee the fuel supply and caused materials to be taken from the depot." The decision stated that the non-commissioned officer committed the offense of "disobedience to orders" as defined in the TSK Disciplinary Law, and the following justification was provided: "The keys to the gas station, canteen, armory, supply depot, magazine, civilian goods, and materials depots located at the Karbeyaz Border Post were given to the supply officer personnel, and while the non-commissioned officer should have overseen the fuel supply and the distribution of materials from the depots during his duty hours, he only signed the fuel supply ledger without overseeing it. It was determined that the depot keys should have been with the non-commissioned officer at the time the incident occurred, but they were not present, and due to his negligence in overseeing the fuel supply and the distribution of materials from the depots, the act of taking the waters from the depot without permission and giving them to civilian citizens occurred."

The non-commissioned officer who received the salary deduction penalty appealed the decision on July 23. After the appeal was rejected, the penalty was finalized on August 21, 2025. The 10th Border Brigade Command Disciplinary Officer explained the rationale for the decision, stating, "Although it was claimed that no state damage occurred regarding the unauthorized distribution of waters stored under lock and key in the depot to civilian citizens, it is clear that this situation 'created a security vulnerability and endangered other materials in the depot.'

PROVIDING OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMISSION OF EMBEZZLEMENT OR MALFEASANCE

Following the findings in the disciplinary investigation, the 10th Border Brigade Command initiated a preliminary investigation on August 14 to determine whether the matter could be examined by the Public Prosecutors. In the preliminary investigation, it was concluded that "due to the absence of the depot keys with the post non-commissioned officer at the time of the incident, he failed to oversee the fuel supply, which led to the unauthorized taking of waters from the depot and their distribution to civilian citizens." It was assessed in the preliminary investigation that the non-commissioned officer committed the act of "providing an opportunity for the commission of embezzlement or malfeasance by neglecting his supervisory duties" as regulated in Article 251/2 of the Turkish Penal Code No. 5237. A decision was made on August 25 to grant permission for an investigation against the non-commissioned officer based on the finding that he "handed over the keys to the soldier assigned as the supply officer and failed to be present during the fuel supply, thus not fulfilling his responsibility."

"THE PENALTY IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE TRADITIONS OF THE TSK"

The lawyers of the non-commissioned officer appealed to the Ankara Regional Administrative Court on September 5 against the 10th Border Brigade Command's decision to "grant permission for an investigation." In the appeal petition, it was stated that there was no aspect contrary to military procedures and practices in the request for daily consumables such as rations and water, and it was emphasized that the waters were not classified as property of the state and were stored in a different location from the state property stored in the depot.

It was noted in the petition that the non-commissioned officer who received the penalty had approximately 60 commendations since he began his service in the TSK and was a disciplined soldier with a history of success. It was recorded: "It has been previously practiced in the Turkish Armed Forces that surplus and unused food from the kitchen in the Hakkari Commando Brigade was distributed to poor citizens in Otluca village through the village headman, and that materials such as toys, rations, candies, and water have always been given to children during operations and military activities. These types of activities are particularly carried out to enhance the reputation of the Turkish Armed Forces among the public and have been practiced until today. Therefore, we believe that the act of giving some of the waters in the vehicle to the village children for humanitarian reasons cannot be defined as a crime or indiscipline."

We believe that the accusation is a nature of a charge that is far from humanity, inconsistent with the traditions, practices, and discipline of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), and essentially lacks a legal characteristic.

"SOLDIERS SHOULD BE APPRECIATED"

If we need to express it as a criticism, it is observed that such strange practices are carried out by contracted officers who have not been trained in the basic school of the officer profession, the Military Academy, due to ignorance and the lack of military notions. Instead of being punished, the Infantry Specialist Corporal who distributes water to children and the client plaintiff Infantry Senior Sergeant, who is considered to be involved in this practice, should be appreciated. The actions taken in the opposite direction are clearly unlawful, arbitrary, and stem from ignorance in the established military operation of the TSK. Considering all aspects of the incident, it is noted that the military personnel who carried out the application subject to the investigation had no material interest, that no action was taken against any military personnel regarding the crimes of embezzlement or corruption, and that no request was made to the competent Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. Therefore, we believe that the decision of the Turkish Republic Ministry of National Defense Land Forces Command 10th Border Brigade Command regarding 'Granting Investigation Permission' should be reviewed and revoked in accordance with Article 9/2 of Law No. 4483.

The request for the cancellation of the decision to grant investigation permission regarding the non-commissioned officer in charge of the police station will be addressed by the Ankara Regional Administrative Court.