Commander, welcomed the earthquake with tears, turned out to be a specialist in social events

Due to not utilizing the personnel resources at his disposal, Lieutenant General Metin Gürak, the Commander of the Second Army, became the focus of criticism following the earthquake. Reports in the media claimed that Gürak was seen crying after receiving orders to remain on standby. While he was portrayed in the media as a commander unable to take initiative, it has come to light that his actions prior to July 15th paint a different picture.

On July 15th, Staff Colonel Savaş Kabaklı, who served as Chief of Staff at the time, brought up a striking issue about Metin Gürak during his court testimony. Kabaklı revealed that the KOKTOD (Intervention in Social Events) training, which is typically planned in six-month intervals, was carried out almost weekly under Gürak’s orders before July 15th.

From Security Meetings to Live Ammunition Drills

Continuing in his testimony, Kabaklı stated, “Our training programs are usually planned in six-month packages and approved by the commander. These were trainings conducted outside of the standard plans. Every month, Lieutenant General Metin Gürak would attend security meetings alongside the Garrison Commander, the Governor, the Police Chief, and the Head of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT). Based on the information he gathered from these meetings, he would tell us, ‘We need to focus on KOKTOD training for the security forces.’”

After a weekend alarm was issued, Gürak scolded Kabaklı for not having ammunition ready. Kabaklı recounted, “Gürak said to my units in training that day, ‘The start of KOKTOD means this: the police of the state are overwhelmed, the gendarmerie is overwhelmed, and now you are the last line of defense, which is why you are going out onto the streets. I gave the alarm, and even if it’s just a drill, you must take live ammunition.’”

Kabaklı, who was reprimanded for not carrying ammunition during the exercise, was later questioned by the court about why he allowed ammunition to be taken from the depot on July 15th, when he was called to duty under the pretext of a terrorist attack.

Request to Hear Metin Gürak Denied by the Court

Despite repeated requests from Kabaklı and other defendants, Gürak’s testimony was taken in writing, and the court ruled that it was unnecessary for him to testify in person.

An Emergency Message to go to the Barracks

Kabaklı, who initially thought that the officers going to the barracks had done so on their own initiative, later learned from those who arrived that the 4th Corps Command, under Gürak’s command, had sent an emergency message through a mass communication system instructing all personnel to report to the barracks urgently.

Questions remain unanswered regarding the purpose of the intensive KOKTOD training conducted before July 15th, Based on which intelligence assessments Metin Gürak decided on such training during these security meetings, and why he displayed initiative during that period but failed to do so in the aftermath of the earthquake. Unfortunately, these questions remain unanswered for now.

Salim Sancak