Marines from the Norfolk-based USS Wasp were on leave in Izmir, Turkey when they were assaulted on the streets at 3:30 p.m. local time, Sunday.
A video circulating on social media shows one of the Marines being held and a bag placed over his head. A second Marine pushed his way into a group of men, who were shouting “Yankee Go Home.”
"Very proud of the professionalism of our service members," said Air Force Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon spokesman. "This is clearly a troubling incident. We are grateful for the support of the Turkish authorities who are looking into this."
The two Marines were aided by other Marines in the area. They were taken to a local hospital but were not harmed, before being returned to their ship. Naval Criminal Investigative Services is cooperating with local police, said Cmdr. Timothy Gorman, U.S. Sixth Fleet spokesperson.
“No Marines have been detained by authorities and those involved are cooperating with investigators,” he said.
Turkish officials in Izmir told the Associated Press that members of the Turkish Youth Union were detained after the incident. The group is known to have anti-American sentiments.
Placing a bag over the head of the Marine may be a reference to a 2003 incident where American troops detained a group of Turkish special forces in Iraq and placed hoods over their heads. The incident was widely broadcast in Turkey.
The USS Wasp Amphibious Ready Group left Norfolk in May. They have been in the Eastern Mediterranean, part of a buildup of U.S. forces in the region as tensions remain high as fighting continues between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
The Marines from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit. They recently completed a training exercise with the Turkish military.
