Sabri Yirmibeşoğlu, Turkish military officer, Died at 87

Sabri Yirmibeşoğlu was born in 1928 and died on January 2, 2016.

He was a Turkish general.

Sabri was Secretary-General of the National Security Council from 1988 to 1990.

Mr. Yirmibeşoğlu was the first Chief of Staff, then Chief of the Turkish Armed Forces’ Special Warfare Department (Özel Harp Dairesi) between 1974 and 1976 and commanded the special forces activities in Northern Cyprus in the eve and initial stages of the Turkish Operations in July and August 1974.

Allegedly, he reported to the television news channel Habertürk TVin 2010, that Turkey burned a mosque during the Cyprus conflict in order to foster civil resistance against Greeks on the disputed island, and that their rules of war included “false flag” acts, engaging in acts of sabotage made to look as if they were carried out by the enemy.

During the 1970s, General Sabri Yirmibeşoğlu held various posts as; Chief of Intelligence, AFSOUTH-NATO, Naples, Italy, 1976–1978; Commander, 9th Division, 1978–1980, Sarıkamış; Chief of Logistics, Army Command, 1980–1982, Ankara; Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Defense, 1982, Ankara; 4th Corps and Martial Law Commander, 1983, Ankara.

As Martial Law Commander, the Mamak Military Detention and Penitentiary was also under his command. Upon his retirement in 1990, by Özal, a renowned Turkish journalist, Yavuz Donat, wrote the following, in his column “Vitrin”.

During the aftermath of September 12th (the military intervention of September 12th, 1980,) Sabri Pasha was the Martial Law Commander in Ankara.

Then, he held the post as the Chief of Operations, Turkish General Staff, 1984–1986, Ankara; followed by his promotion and appointment as Commander, 3rd Army, 1986–1988, Erzincan.

Mr. Yirmibeşoğlu’s next and final post was General Secretary, National Security Council, 1988–1990, Ankara.

However, he was forced into early retirement by Turgut Özal.

There are some claims that he may be linked to a 1988 assassination attempt against Turgut Özal, he wrote an autobiography.

General Sabri Yirmibeşoğlu passed away at 87 yrs old.