Turkish journalist: Our commandos lowered the Greek flag from the East Aegean islets in 2018

Speaking on CNN Türk, focusing on the alleged violations of the so-called demilitarised regime of the Aegean islands by Greece, Turkish journalist Zafer Şahin provocatively claimed that in 2018, under the SYRIZA-ANEL government, they forced Greece to "lower" the Greek flag from the Anthropofas Fournon islet.

"In 2018, we put them on a rocky islet that is much further away from the Imia islets, at a distance of 4-5 times than Imia, and they lowered the Greek flag. Why do I feel the need to say it? It cannot be said that nothing is done," said the pro-government journalist.

"In particular, Defence Minister Hulusi Akar made statements on September 9 last year that can be read by anyone from open sources," continued Şahin, who participates in all the official trips of Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan abroad.

"The Turkish state and the Turkish Armed Forces are focused there. And as I mentioned in 2018, we put them down and they lowered the Greek flag from the islet," he claimed.

The Anthropofas Fournon islets are two rocky islets of Southeast of Fourni, which are included in the list of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the "disputed" Greek islands and islets.

The Turkish media of the time said that "when it was found that the Greek flag was on the island, the commandos of the Naval Forces Command went to the rock with a boat and lowered the flag," Şahin claimed.

"Taking all precautions, the commandos took the Greek flag with them and returned to Turkey," he concluded.

At that time, Athens and the mayor of Fourni had refuted the Turkish allegations.

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