Turkey: Top general Necdet Özel undergoes successful operation

Chief of General Staff, Gen. Necdet Özel, has undergone an operation, according to a statement released on Monday by his office. The statement added that the operation had been successful and Özel was recuperating.

While the statement by the Office of the Chief of General Staff did not specify the nature of the medical procedure, it called on citizens to ignore the speculative stories appearing in the media. The Office of the Chief of General Staff Communications Department, Commander Brigadier Gen. Gazi Özkürkçü, had told the Milliyet daily that Özel had undergone a prostate operation at Ankara Gazi University Medical faculty.

Last week, the office released a statement announcing that Özel had taken 15 days off work, starting last Saturday, due to health reasons, and that land Forces Commander Gen. Hulusi Akar would be serving as acting chief of staff until his return. Some media outlets had speculated that Özel was estranged from the government and was considering retiring.