Overview
Sabri Yirmibeşoğlu (1 September 1928 – 2 January 2016) was a senior officer in the Turkish Armed Forces who served as Secretary-General of the National Security Council (MGK) from 1988 to 1990. During a long military career he held a number of staff and command appointments and was a prominent figure in the interface between the Turkish military and civilian government in the late 20th century.
Career and responsibilities
As Secretary-General of the MGK, Yirmibeşoğlu occupied an office that coordinates security policy and the military’s input into national administration. The role is administrative and advisory but has historically been important in moments when the armed forces exerted strong influence on politics. His duties would have included preparing council meetings, consolidating military assessments for civilian leaders, and overseeing secretariat functions.
- Long service in the Turkish Army, rising to general officer rank.
- Administrative leadership as Secretary-General of the National Security Council, 1988–1990.
- Involvement in public debates about the military’s national security role during a politically sensitive era.
Controversies and allegation
Yirmibeşoğlu's name became associated with allegations that he had a role in a failed plot against President Turgut Özal. Some reports and commentators suggested military involvement in a 1988 incident; those claims have been part of broader discussions about civil–military relations and possible conspiracies in Turkish politics. Sources vary in detail and legal outcomes, so descriptions of this matter are often framed as allegations or claims rather than settled fact. Further reading and contemporary reporting can provide a fuller account of inquiries and public reaction to these claims.
Personal background and death
Sabri Yirmibeşoğlu was born in Foça, in the İzmir region, on 1 September 1928. In later life he remained a figure of public interest because of his service and the controversies that touched his name. He died in Istanbul on 2 January 2016 at the age of 87 from kidney failure, a fact reported in contemporary notices of his passing; announcements and obituaries recorded his date of death and location of passing Istanbul and medical cause kidney failure.
Significance and distinctions
Yirmibeşoğlu is remembered as part of a generation of Turkish military leaders whose careers overlapped a period of intense political change. His tenure at the MGK places him in discussions about the institutional role of the armed forces in Turkey during the late 1980s. For readers seeking primary reporting or archival material, contemporary news items and institutional records are useful starting points; see reporting on President Turgut Özal and related events in 1988 (see reports from the period) for context.