05.08.2025 22:22
The High Military Council (YAŞ) meeting chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has concluded. According to the decisions made, Chief of General Staff General Metin Gürak has been retired due to a lack of position, and the Commander of the Land Forces, General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, has been appointed as the Chief of General Staff.
The Supreme Military Council (YAŞ) Meeting took place at the Presidential Complex under the chairmanship of President Erdoğan. Promotions, retirements, and extensions of terms were evaluated at the meeting.
Attending the meeting were Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan, Minister of Treasury and Finance Mehmet Şimşek, Minister of Interior Ali Yerlikaya, Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin, Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler, Chief of General Staff General Metin Gürak, Commander of the Land Forces General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, Commander of the Naval Forces Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu, and Commander of the Air Forces Air General Ziya Cemal Kadıoğlu.
THE MEETING LASTED 2.5 HOURS The meeting, which lasted approximately 2.5 hours, ended around 14:40. President Erdoğan approved the YAŞ decisions. The Directorate of Communications announced the decisions taken.
BAYRAKTAROĞLU APPOINTED AS CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF As a result of the decisions taken after the meeting, Chief of General Staff General Metin Gürak was retired due to lack of position, and Commander of the Land Forces General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu was appointed as the Chief of General Staff.
Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu METİN TOKEL APPOINTED AS COMMANDER OF THE LAND FORCES General Metin Tokel, Commander of the 1st Army, was appointed as the Commander of the Land Forces. It was decided to extend the terms of Commander of the Naval Forces Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu and Commander of the Air Forces General Ziya Cemal Kadıoğlu for one year.
Metin Tokel 29 GENERALS' TERMS EXTENDED Effective from August 30, 2025; 32 generals and admirals were promoted to a higher rank, and 61 colonels were promoted to general and admiral. The terms of 29 generals were extended for one year, and the terms of 478 colonels were extended for two years.
In the Land Forces Command, the terms of Major General Ömer Ertuğrul Erbakan, Major General Emre Tayanç, and Major General Davut Ala were extended for one year.
On the other hand, the terms of Brigadier General Hacı Halil Osma, Brigadier General Mehmet Zeki Eren, Brigadier General Mehmet Cihanoğlu, Brigadier General Mustafa Er, Brigadier General Gürcan Sezengöz, Brigadier General Hasan Basri Erkuzu, Brigadier General Kadir Eğriboyun, Brigadier General Ahmet Burak Yürüten, Brigadier General Ergün Fidan, Brigadier General Osman Pektaş, Brigadier General Ayhan Kalender, Brigadier General Mehmet Fatih Ören, Brigadier General Erdin Kaya, Brigadier General Ömer Şahin Selvi, Brigadier General Erdal Sertuğ Telli, Brigadier General Birol Arslan, Brigadier General Haluk Doğan, and Brigadier General Mehmet Ali Durmuş were extended for one year.
In the Air Forces Command, the terms of Major General Selçuk Aygün and Major General Orhan Gürdal were extended for one year.
Additionally, the terms of Brigadier General Ender Kartal, Brigadier General Hakan Çanlı, Brigadier General Serhat Mehmet Orus, Brigadier General İbrahim Galip, Brigadier General Mehmet Ali Koç, and Brigadier General Tahir Kahan Büyüksaraç were extended for one year.
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The YAŞ decisions taken are as follows;
The 2025 Supreme Military Council Meeting was held on August 5, 2025, at the Presidential Complex under the chairmanship of our President Mr. Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN.
In the ordinary meeting of the 2025 Supreme Military Council, the situations of generals/admirals and colonels serving in the Turkish Armed Forces were discussed regarding;
a) Those to be promoted to a higher rank,
b) Those whose terms will be extended,
c) Those to be retired due to lack of position, and decisions were made with the approval of our President Mr. Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN.
2. Effective from August 30, 2025;
a) 32 generals and admirals were promoted to a higher rank, and 61 colonels were promoted to general and admiral.
b) The terms of 29 generals were extended for one year, and the terms of 478 colonels were extended for two years.
c) 2 generals were retired due to age limit effective from September 1, 2025, and 43 generals and admirals were retired due to lack of position effective from August 30, 2025.
ç) Chief of General Staff General Metin GÜRAK was retired due to lack of position, and General Selçuk BAYRAKTAROĞLU was appointed as Chief of General Staff, and General Metin TOKEL was appointed as Commander of the Land Forces.
d) It was decided to extend the terms of Commander of the Naval Forces Admiral Ercüment TATLIOĞLU and Commander of the Air Forces General Ziya Cemal KADIOĞLU for one year.
e) The current number of generals and admirals, which is 316, will be 332 as of August 30, 2025.