Turkey withdraws 40 of its troops from NATO military drill in Norway after scandals

Turkey has withdrawn 40 of its troops from a NATO military drill in Norway after scandals regarding the country’s founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The image of Atatürk was displayed as a target during the drill at NATO’s Joint Warfare Center in Stavanger, Norway held between Nov. 8 and Nov. 17, while a NATO soldier posted defamatory words about Erdoğan on the social media. NATO announced on Nov. 17 that one technician and a military officer had been sacked.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg apologized to Turkey over the incident. “I have been informed about offence caused in a recently concluded exercise at NATO’s Joint Warfare Centre in Stavanger, Norway. I apologise for the offense that has been caused. The incidents were the result of an individual’s actions and do not reflect the views of NATO,” Stoltenberg said in a statement.

“The individual in question was immediately removed from the exercise by the Joint Warfare Centre and an investigation is underway. He was a civilian contractor seconded by Norway and not a NATO employee. It will be for the Norwegian authorities to decide on any disciplinary action. NATO has been in contact with the Norwegian authorities on this issue,” he added.

The NATO chief stressed that Turkey is a “valued NATO Ally, which makes important contributions to Allied security.”

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