Two US Marines attacked in Turkey by a mob shouting 'Yankee go home'

A mob of Turkish nationalists attacked two U.S. Marines in Turkey. The event resulted in at least 15 people arrested and occurred in Izmir, a city located on the Turkish coast of the Aegean Sea.

The Izmir Governor's Office issued a statement in which it explained that the assailants belonged to the Youth Union of Turkey, linked to the nationalist Vatan party.

"On Kıbrıs Şehitleri Street in the Konak district of our city, at around 4 p.m. on Monday, [Sept. 2, 2024], a group of 15 people, 2 women and 13 men, members of the Turkish Youth Union (TGB), physically attacked 2 U.S. servicemen," the office said in a statement.

The video of the attack was posted on social media and shared by various media outlets, and, in one of the videos released, the Marines are seen surrounded by a group shouting "Yankee go home."

Meanwhile, U.S. officials condemned the incident and assured that Turkish authorities are investigating the situation. They further explained that no one was injured and they returned to their ship as normal.

"We are troubled by this assault on U.S. service members and are appreciative that Turkish police are taking this matter seriously and holding those responsible accountable," National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said in a statement obtained by NBC News.

In addition, it was learned that the U.S. military was on a routine deployment with the U.S. Navy's Wasp Amphibious Readiness Group, as reported by Navy Commander Timothy Gorman.