Resignation of Air Force generals causes speculation

Maj. Gen. Sinan Şanlı, who was appointed the command of the Air Force School last August, and Maj. Gen. Levent Türkmen, the deputy commander of the Tactical Forces, which have conducted important operations including dogfights over the Aegean, both suddenly resigned, it has been learned. As officials remained silent about the resignations, new appointments to these two critical posts have not yet been made.

There are various allegations over the resignations. One says the Air Force urged Şanlı to resign. Şanlı was the commander of the Air Force Academy before being appointed to the command post of the Air Force School. During his term of office at the academy, an investigation was launched into a military official suspected of being a member of the "Headquarter Houses." The Ergenekon indictment named these houses as places were members of the Workers’ Party, or İP, and military officers on duty came together. The military official, who was later sent to Kayseri, was recently arrested. It was alleged that a procedural problem surrounding the command during the investigation process led to Şanlı’s resignation.

In relation to Türkmen’s resignation, speculations pointed to problems in his private life.