Zekai Aksakallı is a retired general who served in the Turkish Armed Forces for many years. He held the position of Commander of the Special Forces between 2013 and 2017. He played an active role during and after the coup attempt on July 15, 2016; he led the Euphrates Shield Operation and served directly in the field.

Zekai Aksakallı's Youth

Zekai Aksakallı was born in 1961 in the Tortum district of Erzurum. He is a figure who drew attention not only for his achievements in the military field but also for the athletic discipline he demonstrated in his youth. In 1977, while he was a student at Erzurum High School, he and his team won first place in the Turkish High School Cross-Country Championship. He later represented Türkiye at the High School World Cross-Country Championship in Austria. Among 397 athletes, Aksakallı placed 27th and was noted for his quiet demeanor and determination. Athletics coach Çetin Çağatay described him as “a calm power.” Running 30–40 kilometers daily, the physical and mental discipline Aksakallı developed during this period directly influenced his later military career.

^{Zekai Aksakallı's Youth. (Sözcü)}

Military Career

He graduated from the Turkish Military Academy in 1984 as an infantry second lieutenant. He served in various units and headquarters within the Turkish Armed Forces. In 2013, he was appointed as the Commander of the Special Forces. In 2016, he was promoted to lieutenant general, and in 2017, to full general. That same year, he was appointed Commander of the 2nd Corps. He retired in 2021 due to the age limit.

Role During the July 15, 2016, Coup Attempt

During the coup attempt that took place on July 15, 2016, many civilians, police officers, and soldiers across Türkiye tried to prevent the uprising led by the Fetullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ). The individual acts of resistance displayed that night were among the key factors that changed the course of the coup.

His Resistance and Command Activities

On the night of the coup, the car of Lieutenant General Zekai Aksakallı, the Commander of the Special Forces, was blocked while he was returning from a wedding. Aksakallı escaped the attempt to detain him by coup plotters with the help of his driver and contacted the command post, ordering that the gates be closed and no one be allowed in. In response to fake messages claiming that he had been dismissed, he asserted that he was still on duty and continued to resist. After receiving information from Senior Sergeant Major Ömer Halisdemir about the situation at headquarters, he ordered him to shoot the coup-plotting General Semih Terzi. This critical move neutralized one of the key elements of the coup attempt.

^{"This is how Special Forces Commander Zekai Aksakallı Was Saved." (YouTube)}

Zekai Aksakallı's Communication with Martyr Ömer Halisdemir

On the night of July 15, 2016, the communication traffic between Commander of the Special Forces Zekai Aksakallı and Senior Master Sergeant Ömer Halisdemir played a decisive role in the course of the coup attempt. After learning that Brigadier General Semih Terzi, one of the coup plotters, was moving to seize control of the Special Forces Command, Aksakallı made a total of eight phone calls with Halisdemir, the only trusted figure within the headquarters. During these calls, he gave clear orders for Terzi to be neutralized. According to Aksakallı, Halisdemir accepted this order by saying, “Affirmative, Commander. It would be an honor for the homeland,” and ended the last call by saying, “Give me your blessing.” This communication was recorded as one of the most critical moments that changed the course of the coup.

Following Aksakallı’s orders, Halisdemir shot coup-plotting General Semih Terzi and was then martyred by other coup plotters. This act prevented the Special Forces Command from falling into the hands of the coup perpetrators.

Family Visit

About a month after the July 15 coup attempt, on August 18, 2016, Commander of the Special Forces Lieutenant General Zekai Aksakallı visited the family of Martyr Ömer Halisdemir in the Çukurkuyu town of Bor district in Niğde. Aksakallı prayed at Halisdemir’s grave, offered condolences to the family, and emphasized that the displayed heroism would never be forgotten.

^{Martyr Ömer Halisdemir is Taking Action to Fulfill the "Shoot" Order. (Yeni Şafak) Zekai Aksakallı is Visiting Ömer Halisdemir’s Family. (AA)}

Fatih Yarımbaş Case

Former colonel Fatih Yarımbaş, one of the coup plotters who planned to neutralize Zekai Aksakallı and ordered his capture in Gölbaşı, was tried in the coup cases and sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment.

His Activities During the Euphrates Shield Operation (2016–2017)

Field Command

Following the coup attempt, Zekai Aksakallı actively served in the field as the Commander of the Special Forces during the Euphrates Shield Operation, launched against groups such as ISIS and the YPG in northern Syria. He was physically present in conflict zones such as Al-Bab and Azaz, where he personally commanded the operations.

Assassination Attempt

In January 2017, during a visit to Azaz, a suicide bombing attempt targeting Aksakallı was detected. It was reported that the attacker was wearing an explosive device and that the attack was thwarted at the last moment. This incident was seen as one of the examples demonstrating the level of security threats directed at Turkish commanders in the Euphrates Shield zone.

^{Zekai Aksakallı in Al-Bab, Euphrates Shield Operation. (AA)}

Cerablus Visit: Zekai Aksakallı’s Field Inspections

On August 25, 2016, Chief of General Staff’s Special Forces Commander Lieutenant General Zekai Aksakallı, visited the Cerablus region, which had been cleared of the terrorist organization ISIS, and conducted detailed inspections regarding the activities of the Free Syrian Army in the area.

As a critical part of his mission, Aksakallı made contact on the ground and conducted military assessments of the situation in the operational area. The Cerablus visit was recorded as an important step symbolizing the active role of the Special Forces and Aksakallı’s field presence within the scope of the Euphrates Shield Operation.

^{Zekai Aksakallı’s Visit to Cerablus. (AA)}

Retirement and Subsequent Period

After July 15, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited the Special Forces Command to observe the personnel’s activities on-site and personally thanked Aksakallı. During this visit, the physical endurance exercises of the Special Forces were also observed by the President.

^{President Erdoğan, alongside Zekai Aksakallı, at the Special Forces Command. (AA)}

Public Perception and Evaluation

During and after the July 15, 2016, coup attempt, the role played by Zekai Aksakallı was described by the public as that of “the commander of resistance” and “one of the hidden heroes of the dark night.” Aksakallı’s orders and coordination efforts against the coup elements were among the effective factors in suppressing the uprising.

Zekai Aksakallı’s Appointment as Chairman of the Board of the Armed Forces Assistance Fund (OYAK)

Retired Lieutenant General Zekai Aksakallı, who left a mark in public memory for his critical role as Commander of the Special Forces during the July 15, 2016, coup attempt, was appointed Chairman of the Board of the Armed Forces Assistance Fund (OYAK). This appointment was announced to the public via OYAK’s official website.

In a statement by OYAK, it was recalled that the institution was founded in 1961 to support the social and economic rights of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) personnel, and it was stated that a new era had begun under Aksakallı’s leadership.