Erdogan appoints Azerbaijani defense adviser Ersay to senior Turkish army post

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has appointed Bakhtiyar Ersay, a senior adviser to Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov, as commander of the 1st Army Corps of Turkey’s Land Forces Command, according to a decree published in the official Resmi Gazete.

The reshuffle includes changes to the posts of 119 generals in the Land Forces Command, 31 generals in the Air Force, and 35 admirals in the Navy.

On August 5, Ersay was promoted to the rank of army general. He has served as an adviser to Azerbaijan’s defense minister since 2022.