Hulusi Akar

Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım chaired a security meeting on Aug. 9 with Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Customs and Trade Minister Bülent Tüfenkci, Presidential Spokesperson İbrahim Kalın, Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar and intelligence chief Hakan Fidan.  

Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım has appealed to the Ankara 4th High Criminal Court to become an intervening party in the case on the events at the Akıncı Air Base, considered to have been the control center of the July 2016 coup attempt. 

Former four-star general Akın Öztürk has denied any responsibility for events at the Akıncı Air Base, considered the control center of the July 15, 2016 coup attempt, saying the allegations are "unacceptable for his honor." 

Turkey's annual military reshuffle was focused on bringing about a new shape and vision to the command echelon with replacements of land, air and naval forces commanders as well as promotions of commando colonels as generals, a year after the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) were shaken entirely because of a failed coup staged by a high-ranking personnel loyal to the U.S.-based Fethullah Gülen.

The Supreme Military Council, if it can still be called so after all the changes made in its structure, convened and ended within four hours with a decision to reshuffle almost the entire command of the Turkish Armed Forces.

 Turkey has reshuffled land, air and navy commanders at an annual supreme military meeting restructuring the echelon under Chief of the General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar who will continue to lead the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) until 2019, writes Hurriyet daily news.

The Supreme Military Board (YAŞ) convened for a critical meeting under Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım on Aug. 2 to discuss promotions and expulsions from the military.

It is the third supreme military board meeting since the last year's failed coup attempt and the second with its changed structure.

Turkey put nearly 500 people on trial Tuesday on charges of leading last year’s failed coup, parading dozens of the men into a courthouse as protesters threw stones and shouted “Murderers!”

One of the key court cases regarding the July 15, 2016 military coup attempt kicked off in Ankara on Aug. 1. 

A total of 486 suspects - including the former Air Forces Commander Akın Öztürk, who is accused of running the coup headquarters at the Akıncı Air Base near Ankara - were brought to court for the start of the case. 

By the time you read this article, another critical meeting in Ankara will have started. One year after the bloody coup attempt, this year's Supreme Military Council meeting seems to hold more importance than ever. The scenarios are limited but the signs are many.