The Turkish government has removed from office all four force commanders of the army, including the Chief of Gendarmerie Forces

ANKARA hurriyet daily news report:

The Turkish government has removed from office all four force commanders of the army, including the Chief of Gendarmerie Forces General Bekir Kalyoncu, who was expected to be appointed to replace the current chief of the Land Forces according to customary practice.

The Supreme Military Council’s (YAŞ) appointments shaping the commandment echelon of the army which was announced Aug. 3 following President Abdullah Gül’s approval, assigned Deputy Chief of the Turkish General Staff General Hulusi Akar as the new Land Forces Commander replacing General HayriKıvrıkoğlu, who was consigned to retirement.

The post is considered to be key as the Land Forces Commander is customarily the next in line to replace the current Chief of General Staff General Necdet Özel, who will be keeping his post until August 2015.

Speculation had grown during the three-day Supreme Military Council meetings that Kalyoncu was not approved of by the government as his name was mentioned in testimonies by defendants in the Ergenekon case as a figure involved in operations aiming to organize a coup against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government.

Air Forces Commander Mehmet Erten was replaced by General Akın Öztürk, Naval Forces Commander Murat Bilgel was replaced by Admiral Bülent Bostanoğlu and General Kalyoncu was replaced by General Servet Yörük as the new Chief of Gendarmerie Forces.

Admiral Bilgel was also put sent into retirement, along with Generals Kıvrıkoğlu and Kalyoncu.

Meanwhile, General Erten was appointed as a member of the Supreme Military Council (YAŞ). The decision has been interpreted behind the scenes as a “polite way of forcing a resignation,” daily Hürriyet reported. Erten is expected to ask for his retirement within six months, the report added.