The Hidden Truth in Marmaris: Sadık Üstün, İsmail Balıbek, Mustafa Başoğlu
One of the key pillars of the so-called coup attempt on July 15, 2016, and the plot against the Turkish military was centered in Marmaris. Allegations of an assassination attempt against the President by Brigadier General Gökhan Şahin Sönmezateş and his team were widely circulated.
As the Truth Unfolds, the Allegations Fall Apart
As the trials commenced and testimonies of the soldiers involved became public, it became clear that much of what was claimed to have happened in Marmaris was false, and that certain groups were deliberately hiding the truth. In fact, Brig. Gen. Sönmezateş had a bullet thrown into his cell and was threatened with death. Despite this, Sönmezateş and the soldiers with him refuted the allegations through their testimonies and documents during the trials. Radar records, witness statements, and radio records revealed many facts that had been hidden from the public.
A Mysterious Team in Marmaris That Was Hidden From Everyone
What has emerged now is the existence of a completely different team in Marmaris that was hidden from everyone. Unlike the Special Forces Command team that arrived after 3:00 AM, it has been confirmed that another team arrived hours before.
Witness statements indicate that around 1:00 AM, armed individuals in black clothing descended by rope from a helicopter while it was still in the air. According to a report prepared by air traffic controller Ender Namsal, the aircraft in the sky at the time were helicopters with 99% accuracy.
Additionally, radio logs from Dalaman Tower clearly recorded the presence of unidentified aircraft in the area.
It was also discovered that a military ID card, identified as belonging to Gendarmerie Staff Sergeant Serhat Karakuş, was found at the scene and recorded in police reports.
In light of new documents, it was revealed that helicopters from the Gendarmerie Aviation Command took off from the Gendarmerie Aviation School and flew to the Aydın Gendarmerie Air Squadron Command. After refueling and other activities there, one helicopter held position west of Dalaman airport, while, as shown in map visuals, three helicopters moved towards Marmaris.
MIT (National Intelligence Organization) Personnel Sadık Üstün and Lt. Gen. İsmail Balıbek
On July 15, 2016, İsmail Balıbek was the Colonel and Commander of the Gendarmerie Aviation Command. That night, he was directly subordinate to the Commander of the Turkish Gendarmerie Forces, General Galip Mendi. The helicopters flying that night were also under Balıbek's command. After the abduction of General Mendi, Balıbek, as the sole remaining authority, is believed to have overseen the operation of the mysterious team in Marmaris, coordinating with MIT Personnel Sadık Üstün. Notably, he chose the Gendarmerie Special Public Security Command (JÖAK) as his headquarters instead of his own unit.
After the coup attempt, İsmail Balıbek was promoted to Brigadier General and, in 2017, appointed as the Chief of Personnel of the General Command of Gendarmerie. By 2022, he had been promoted to Lieutenant General, and made Deputy Commander of the General Command of Gendarmerie.
Col. Mustafa Başoğlu, JÖAK Commander, Personally Participated in the Operation
Another key figure in the field on the night of July 15 was JÖAK Commander Colonel Mustafa Başoğlu. It was revealed that Başoğlu personally led the selected JÖAK personnel who arrived by helicopters that night. Acting under the coordination of Sadık Üstün, Başoğlu’s name was also remembered for other incidents.
After the coup attempt, Mustafa Başoğlu was promoted to Brigadier General. Notably, he had served as the Provincial Gendarmerie Commander of Hatay during the 2013 Reyhanlı attacks.
Fatih Ayhan Acar
