US Sailors Attacked by Crowd in Turkey

A Turkish group described as an anti-American gang threw red dye and put bags over the heads of three U.S. sailors on liberty Wednesday in Istanbul before the sailors escaped and returned safely to their ship. Video of the incident showed the sailors in civilian clothes on the waterfront getting pushed and pelted with what appeared to be red dye before the sailors managed to break away and run back to their ship, the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer Ross. In a statement, the Navy said that the video "shows approximately 20 individuals, claiming to be from the 'Turkish Youth Union,' verbally and physically assaulting the sailors while on liberty in Istanbul." The sailors "managed to remove themselves from the situation without sustaining injuries and are safely back aboard USS Ross," the statement said.