03.07.2025 09:13
During the July 15 coup attempt, retired Major General Zekai Aksakallı, known for giving the order "Shoot Semih Terzi" to our heroic martyr Ömer Halisdemir, has been appointed as the Chairman of the Board of the Armed Forces Mutual Assistance Fund (OYAK).
During the coup attempt on July 15, Zekai Aksakallı, who was the Commander of the Special Forces and was promoted to Major General 13 days later, was appointed as the Chairman of the Board of the Armed Forces Assistance Fund (OYAK) and retired in 2020 due to lack of position.
The appointment information was also announced on the institution's website on the "Chairman of the Board" page. On the other hand, in an email sent to OYAK employees, it was stated that "Mr. Mehmet Taş, who has served as the Chairman of the Board since 2016, has transferred this valuable duty to (E) Major General Mr. Zekai Aksakallı as of today."
WHO IS ZEKAİ AKSAKALLI?
Born in 1959 in Erzurum, Zekai Aksakallı stood out during the July 15, 2016 coup attempt for his stance against the coup plotters as the "Commander of the Special Forces."
Aksakallı has been remembered as one of the most important figures who changed the course of the coup attempt. On the night of the coup attempt, Aksakallı contacted MIT Undersecretary Hakan Fidan multiple times. In phone conversations, Aksakallı shared the names of the FETÖ generals he had predicted with Fidan. Aksakallı made the speech that would change the course of July 15.
HE GAVE THE ORDER TO "SHOOT" ÖMER HALİSDEMİR
Aksakallı, who gave the order to shoot the coup plotter General Semih Terzi to Ömer Halisdemir, who had been serving as a protection non-commissioned officer for about 3 years, described what happened between them as follows:
"I contacted Ömer Halisdemir, who was on duty as a protection officer in the office of the Commander of the Special Forces, through Protection Non-Commissioned Officer Makbul Uluğ, and instructed him to monitor what Colonel Ümit Bak, the head of the coup plotters, and coup plotter Major Mehmet Ali Çelik were doing within the Special Forces Headquarters, and to neutralize them if he found the opportunity. I met with Ömer Halisdemir 8 times regarding the follow-up of the situation. Ömer Halisdemir had been serving me as a protection non-commissioned officer for about 3 years. Ömer Halisdemir was a soldier I trusted. In our last meeting, I told him to 'shoot Semih Terzi, who is a traitor and coup plotter, in the name of our homeland and nation, and that this would lead to martyrdom, and to forgive me.' He replied, 'I will forgive you until the end, my commander.' We made peace."