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Two U.S. Marines assaulted by nationalist group in Turkey; attack captured on video

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Two U.S. Marines assaulted by nationalist group in Turkey; attack captured on video

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Two U.S. Marines were assaulted in Turkey by a nationalist group on Monday, prompting the arrest of more than a dozen people.

Turkish officials said Monday that the assailants were allegedly members of the Turkey Youth Union, a youth branch of Turkey’s nationalist Vatan Party. Fifteen people were detained in connection with the assault, which occurred in Izmir, a city on Turkey’s Aegean Sea coast.

“We can confirm reports that U.S. service members embarked aboard the USS Wasp were the victims of an assault in Izmir today,” the U.S. Embassy to Turkey said in a statement on Monday.

The embassy said the soldiers were now safe. It remained unclear how the altercation had begun.

Assault captured on video

Video of the assault shows a large group of men shoving and manhandling the two Marines, who were wearing civilian clothing at the time, while shouting slogans including “Yankee, go home!” and covering one Marine’s head with a white hood.

The Turkey Youth Union posted video of the assault, along with the caption, “U.S. soldiers, who carry the blood of our soldiers and thousands of Palestinians on their hands, cannot defile our country.”

“Every time you step into these lands, we will welcome you as you deserve!” the Turkey Youth Union added.

Five other U.S. service members and local police eventually intervened, according to Turkish officials.

“We thank Turkish authorities for their rapid response and ongoing investigation,” the U.S. Embassy to Turkey said in its statement.

The Marines, assigned to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit and embarked aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp, were in Izmir while the ship was in port.

U.S. service members have been attacked in the past

The Turkey Youth Union has been linked to similar assaults in the past.

In 2021, Reuters reported that a U.S. Navy civilian employee in Istanbul was similarly attacked and had a hood placed over her head.

Members of the nationalist group also assaulted three U.S. sailors visiting Istanbul in 2014, as reported by The New York Times. Video of the incident showed more than a dozen members of the group surrounding the sailors, yelling at the sailors before placing white hoods over their heads.

Contributing: Ece Toksabay and Kanishka Singh, Reuters

Max Hauptman is a Trending Reporter for USA TODAY. He can be reached at MHauptman@gannett.com

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